Violence Reduction Unit mentoring programme

Unmesh Desai: How many young Londoners have received mentoring since September as a result of the £2.3million funding package introduced through the VRU?

The Mayor: Understanding and working with young people is part of the DNA of the London VRU. Young people are very clear that a consistent one-to-one relationship with a responsible, approachable adult is often the most positive transformation in their life. In September I launched the PRU Support Programme (£2.3m) to support some of London’s most vulnerable learners as they returned to school. Along with community-led grassroots afterschool provision (£1.38m) and a sport-based re-engagement programme during school holidays in key boroughs (£160K), £840k was allocated to the PRU Mentoring Programme.
All 32 London boroughs were offered funding for mentoring provision in their Pupils Referral Units or alternative provision settings through this funding. 30 broughs have applied for funding to deliver career mentoring, academic mentoring; family mentoring; outreach and engagement and behavioural or resilience focused mentoring to approximately 2,000 pupils. Delivery will commence in January 2021.

London Bridges repair costs since 2010

Murad Qureshi: How much has it cost to repair and renovate each London bridge that has been repaired since 2010? And who has paid for it and in what proportion for each case?

The Mayor: I understand Transport for London’s Commissioner, Andy Byford, wrote to you on 23 December 2020 to provide this information. The appendix to that letter, included here, provides the requested detail.

Breast ironing offences

Susan Hall: Presenting the data by year since 2015/16, please provide a breakdown of the number of breast ironing offences.

The Mayor: The MPS confirm that there is no specific offence of “breast ironing” – it would be a facet of other offences of violence. Although there is a flag code for crime reports of Breast Ironing, none have been reported.

Illegal raves and gatherings

Unmesh Desai: Please advise how many £10,000 fines have been issued by the Met for organising illegal gatherings. Please provide a breakdown by borough of where each fine was issued, if possible.

The Mayor: The COVID-19 dashboard contains data on the number of fixed penalty notices sent to ACRO for approval by the MPS, since 23rd March 2020. The dashboard contains the type of offence and when the fixed penalty notice was sent. The data that populates the dashboard is downloadable.
The dashboard does not include data as to the value of fines issued. The National Police Chief's Council (NPCC) website indicates that they will provide more thorough analysis of payment of FPN data at a future date.
https://www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/met/covid-19-dashboard/

Violence at Supermarkets

Susan Hall: Presenting the data monthly to November 2020 for the past three years, please provide a breakdown of the number of violence against the person offences at London supermarkets?

The Mayor: Please see attached the requested data - for MQs 4736, 4737 and 4738 – covering the period specified. It should be noted that data provided includes all violence against the person offences in these venues and not specifically ‘violence against staff’.

Retail violence

Susan Hall: Presenting the data monthly to November 2020 for the past three years, please provide a breakdown of the number of violence against the person offences at London retailers?

The Mayor: Please see attached the requested data - for MQs 4736, 4737 and 4738 – covering the period specified. It should be noted that data provided includes all violence against the person offences in these venues and not specifically ‘violence against staff’.

City Hall proposed move [2]

Andrew Dismore: In the event of the GLA, Mayoralty and Assembly moving from City Hall to The Crystal, what assessment have you made of the impact on Londoners who live in north, west and north west London, especially those with disabilities, wishing to visit events or their representatives at the new ‘City Hall’?

The Mayor: This answer has been superseded by responses already given to the Assembly and Oversight in the last number of weeks.

Honour-based childhood abuse offences

Susan Hall: Presenting the data by year since 2015/16, please provide a breakdown of the number of honour-based childhood abuse offences?

The Mayor: Please see attached the requested data for the period specified.

IA 16767 Terms of Reference

Keith Prince: Further to your response to Question 2020/4098 please provide me with copies of all communication and documentation (including the terms of reference for IA 16767) that TfL sent to RAIB “ 24 November 2016 and again on 1 February 2017”.

The Mayor: I have asked Transport for London to provide this information to you. It is collating this information and will provide as soon as it is available

TfL Internal Communication about decision to modify IA 17780 sent on 27 July 2017 between 0801-0928

Keith Prince: Copies of emails you provided in Question 2020/0023 show that a decision was communicated by TfL Internal Audit to modify IA 17780 in order to ‘placate First Group’ between 08:01 and 09:28 on 27 July 2017. Please provide me with copies of all communications (including emails, texts and handwritten notes) relating to the decision to modify IA 17780 sent and received by TfL Internal Audit between 08:01 and 09:28 on 27 July 2017.

The Mayor: I refer you to the attachment to my answer to MQ 2020/0023 which contained the relevant email chain.
The request for texts and hand-written notes would require an extensive level of searching to be carried out by Transport for London (TfL). You will be aware that TfL resources are extremely limited at the moment and so searching for and then providing any such documents would not be an appropriate use of public resources

North Kensington Vaccine Take-Up

Tony Devenish: What more can you do to publicise flu vaccine take up rates in North Kensington and will you use the local bus and tube network to press home this vital public health message please?

The Mayor: This is a repeated question and the answer form last month has been uploaded- https://www.london.gov.uk/questions/2020/4793
Each year the flu kills around 11,000 people and hospitalises thousands more. This year it’s more important than ever for people at risk to get their free flu vaccine. The vaccine is the best protection for you and those around you.
I have supported the NHS London Campaign to encourage eligible Londoners to get their flu jab promoting this through my social channels and stakeholder networks, and I had my own at the end of September.
The NHS has access to TFL’s commercial advertising estate in the normal way, as it has already been doing for its current Coronavirus information campaigns.
We will continue to work with local governments as the roll out of the COVID vaccine continues across London. We hope that the experience and lessons learned through this will also strengthen our approach to future campaigns for other vaccines and immunisations, including the flu jab.

Annual survey of London’s ‘underbanked’

Caroline Russell: The London Assembly Economy Committee report, Short Changed: the Financial Health of Londoners, published in January 2018, contained the following recommendation: “The Mayor should commission a wide-ranging and representative annual survey of London households on their activities and interactions with financial providers to give policymakers and the industry a better understanding of how London’s ‘underbanked’ transact, borrow and save.” This recommendation has not been followed up; do you now have plans to do this to help with Londoners’ financial resilience as we look to recover from the pandemic?

The Mayor: The Survey of Londoners 2018/19 included questions about financial resilience, giving insights into levels of savings and the underbanked (available on the London Datastore, https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/survey-of-londoners-headline-findings). I also undertook polling published in February 2018 on the financial health of young people (available on the London Datastore as part of our February 2018 YouGov/GLA polling of 16–24-year-olds (https://data.london.gov.uk/gla-poll-results/2018-2/). These findings have been used to shape my programmes and policies, such as the Good Work Standard and Young Londoners Fund.
Work on financial resilience in London’s recovery will be taken forward by the missions, ‘Robust Safety Net’ and a ‘New Deal for Young People’. A critical aspect will be work with Local Authorities and advice services to improve access to welfare, debt and money advice. This activity will focus on connecting financially excluded Londoners with advice, for example, by developing and scaling up existing approaches to embedding services in community settings.

Expanding the construction skills academies to other industries

Caroline Russell: In the London Assembly Plenary meeting on 23 July 2020, Jordan Cummins, Head of London Policy at the Confederation of British Industry, said: "The construction skills academies that we have seen across some boroughs can be rolled out to different types of industries. […] there is more than one real anchor industry for London. [...] I am thinking energy efficiency, retrofit. We can create jobs really quickly in those areas, but the skillsets are not quite there yet.” What action have you taken to expand the offer of the skills academies to future-proof Londoners’ skills and work opportunities?

The Mayor: Building on the good practice of my Construction Academy and other initiatives, such as my Digital Talent Programme, is part of the Helping Londoners into Good Work Mission, as identified by the London Recovery Board. The Mission aims to establish other sector-specific skills academies, including in green, digital and the creative industries, with long term growth opportunities. Other sectors will continue to be supported via the Adult Education Budget (AEB), including the Level 3 entitlement, and other skills programmes.
Energy efficiency and retrofit, along with other green skills and occupations, will be a key part of this. The academy approach is likely to see different models developed to address opportunities in each sector. However, each will look to utilise the devolved AEB, along with apprenticeships and other skills programmes. They will also engage employers in identifying and shaping the content of training and will deliver high quality provision for Londoners.

Police attending Mental Health Crises

Navin Shah: There has been a 41% increase in police being called out to help with mental health emergencies. Police involvement in these kinds of incidents can be harrowing on the person in need of help and specialist mental health care is what is needed. Will you call on the Government to provide more funding for frontline mental health services, which will no doubt be under more pressure due to Covid-19?

The Mayor: We know that there are significant financial challenges right across the public sector and funding reductions to local services means support to prevent mental health crises from occurring is reduced. Ensuring frontline mental health services are properly funded is crucial but the Government must also ensure that they are working with and listening to local communities to understand the demand for localised mental health support.
Training has been rolled out to frontline Metropolitan Police Officers to help make appropriate and effective assessments of people in a mental health crisis. Initiatives such as Mental Health Street Triage teams, where police are joined by local mental health professionals when attending emergency call outs, can make a big difference to the person in need, ensuring they receive expert assessment and support in what can be a very distressing time.

Community Land Trust housing at East Wick and Sweetwater

Siân Berry: In your answer to my question 2016/1942, you said: “LLDC is liaising with the housing team at the GLA to understand better the lessons learned from the St Clements CLT in Tower Hamlets and, assuming the issues can be resolved, the selection process should begin later this summer, with a CLT (Community Land Trust) partner expected to be on board by the summer of 2017.” Could you inform me who this CLT partner is and, if one has not been appointed, what has happened to the promised 100 CLT homes at East Wick and Sweetwater?

The Mayor: The delivery of Community Land Trust (CLT) housing is progressing.A plot has been identified and concerns around viability and deliverability are being explored.Currently, the proposed route for delivery for CLT housing within East Wick and Sweetwater is advancing with partnership working between the LLDC, East Wick&SweetwaterProjects (ajoint venturepartnership between Places for People and Balfour Beatty Investments) and the GLA’s CLT facilitation organisation, Community Led Housing London (CLH).

Support for London’s creative workers

Caroline Russell: Much of London’s world-renowned arts and cultural industries rely on self-employed creative workers, many of whom have been excluded from the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s support packages during the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, many people have been made redundant from arts and culture institutions while money has been given by the Treasury to keep the buildings running. What support are you making available to these forgotten parts of London’s creative workforce?

The Mayor: The creative workforce is key to London’s economy and provided 1 in 6 jobs in the capital. It has been devastated by the pandemic, with many freelancers left out of the Self Employment Income Support Scheme, and significant redundancies of employed workers across London. I have written to the Chancellor calling for him to urgently fill the gaps in support for self-employed workers.
I welcomed the announcement of the Culture Recovery Fund but it does not go far enough to protect the 152,500 jobs estimated to be lost in London due to COVID-19.
I invest in London’s creative industries through my Creative Economy Growth Programme, which in 2019/20 created over 13,000 employment opportunities. My Culture at Risk Business Support Fund has supported 122 organisations and 11,500 creative workers and my Culture at Risk Office provided advice to almost 700 creative businesses resulting, for example, in no closure of grassroots music venues.
I have commissioned research by Centre for London into support for freelancers during the crisis and long term, which will publish recommendations in the Spring.

Support for London’s disabled entrepreneurs

Caroline Russell: The London Assembly Economy Committee report, Tackling London’s Disability Employment Gap, published in March 2019, contained the following recommendation: “Part of the Greater London Investment Fund should consider giving a share of its fund to disabled entrepreneurs wishing to scale up.” What action are you taking to support disabled entrepreneurs?

The Mayor: Following a roundtable I held for disabled entrepreneurs, and the LEAP Diverse Entrepreneurs Summits in 2019 and 2020, my economic development team have identified a number of actions to support disabled entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Disabled small business owners and entrepreneurs account for between 3.3 – 23.6% of London Business Hub initiative programme participants, depending on the programme. My London Business Hub continues to work with delivery partners to ensure outreach and programme design supports levels of take-up which represents London’s population.
My Greater London Investment Fund (GLIF) has supported two disabled founders/co-founders to date. I am keen that we increase these numbers, and GLIF’s delivery body, Funding London, is hosting a roundtable discussion about under-represented groups accessing finance on 28 January 2021. The session will look at the needs of disabled entrepreneurs, as well as women and BAME entrepreneurs. Following the roundtable, we will use recommendations from the discussion to identify ways for the fund to better benefit disabled founders.

Vaccine Rollout

Navin Shah: Businesses such as Brewdog are offering up space to assist with the vaccine rollout. Are you able to offer up any space in buildings owned by the GLA, or will you in future?

The Mayor: The GLAhas beenworkingclosely with the NHS and local authorities on the rollout of vaccinesin London, including around requests for facilities, logistical support, communications and community engagement. We will continue to work with them over the coming months as the next phase of the programme rolls out andvaccines become more widely available to more groups of Londoners.
The GLAitselfdoes not own many buildings and most of them would be unsuitableas vaccine centres. However, the GLA does own Crystal Palace NSC where we have a management agreement with Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL). In late November, GLL were approached by NHS South East London regarding use of the sports centre as a vaccine hub. GLL did confirm that the space could be made available subject to agreeing terms, but the offer has not been taken up by NHS South East London.
I am committed to working with partners such as London’s councils, NHS London, PHE and community groups to support the COVID-19 vaccine’s equitable roll out in the capital.

GP Satisfaction

Navin Shah: The London Assembly Health Committee found that there were higher levels of Covid deaths in boroughs with high levels of deprivation, high numbers of BAME people and low levels of satisfaction with GP services. This low level of satisfaction with GPs is very concerning at a time when GPs are vital. What can be done to ensure Londoners have faith in their GPs?

The Mayor: GPs and other members of the healthcare workforce have worked tirelessly during the pandemic to support and care for their patients, and I want to pay tribute to them all. While overall patient satisfaction with GP practices remains high, the Health Committee’s work has shone a light on the generally lower satisfaction in some deprived communities and BAME groups.
As we respond to the current grave situation in London, and as vaccines are rolled out, it is even more important that London’s whole population, especially those in deprived and BAME communities, continues to have full trust in all parts of our health service.
As I have no role in commissioning GP services, I will ask NHS London’s primary care lead to consider the Health Committee’s report, and advise how high quality, culturally competent services can be delivered to meet the social, faith, cultural, and linguistic needs of patients, and further build trust in GP services.

Tackling Anti-Vax Propaganda

Navin Shah: What are your plans to tackle dangerous anti-vaccination propaganda?

The Mayor: Building confidence in vaccines and ensuring Londonersare prepared totake up the COVID-19 vaccine when they are eligible is vital to protecting all our communities in London.
There is a lot ofdisinformationbeing communicatedabout vaccines, butwe knowthat they save millions of lives around the world.The best wayto tacklethedangerousanti-vaccination narratives is tocommunicatethistruthand reassure Londonersabout thesafety andeffectivenessofthe COVID-19 vaccine.
I will continue to do all I can as Mayor to use my platformtocommunicate positive,trustworthymessages about the COVID-19 vaccine andspeak to Londoners aboutitsimportance, safetyandeffectiveness.My teamscontinue toworkclosely with partners across London, including councils, NHS London and Public HealthEngland (PHE)and community groups,and well as social media companies, to engage Londoners’withthese messages and tackle disinformation.
Recent activity has included visitingCroydon University Hospital on the first day of vaccinations,a virtual visit to St Thomas’swhere the first Oxford-Astra-Zeneca vaccines were administeredand visiting Network House on the day it opened.I have also takenpart in live Q&A on vaccines with a scientist on TikTok andcontinue to usesocial mediaadvertisingandpressto ensure Londoners have the right informationabout the vaccine.Mysocial mediachannelsregularly communicateinformationto Londonersaboutthevaccinesuch ascontenton ‘How to talk to your family about vaccines’and sharing information from the NHS on its roll out.We are also translating information into key languages.
In addition to communications, my Communities and Health teams convene regular briefings for faith and community networks with speakers from PHE and NHS. These events offer the most current updates on vaccines and community safety and most importantly, it offers space forattendeesto ask questions and receive answers from official sources. Over 600 organisations are invited to attend and information and responses to frequently asked questions are shared via email after each briefing.My team is working with the NHS and PHE engagement leads to support a community-led approach to information and support on vaccines, focused on equipping and training leaders from within thecommunity to engage with their peers.
As well as countering disinformationthrough factual and positive communications and engagement,we will continue to work with social media companies and partners to report incidences.My officers have set up an internal escalation process to refer disinformation to the Cabinet Office’s Rapid Response Unit and the Counter Disinformation Unit for investigation and response.

TfL Pension Fund Trustees (1)

Shaun Bailey: What is the process for appointing a trustee of TfL’s Pension Fund and how are they selected?

The Mayor: The Transport for London (TfL) Trustee Board is made up of 18 Directors. The Directors of the Trustee Board are nominated as follows:

Tier 4 & Covid 19 Variant

Navin Shah: What measures will you be taking to remind Londoners of the rules they need to follow under Tier 4 and further serious concerns due to the Covid-19 variant?

The Mayor: ForLondon todefeatthis virus, it is vital that Londoners are informed abouttheup-to-datehealth guidancethey need to followandare aware ofthe risks of notcomplying with COVID-19 restrictions.
Since the start of the pandemic, I have delivered communications acrossnumerouschannels so thatallLondonersare aware oftheseverity of the situation and areencouragedtofollowtherules.This has includedbroadhealth guidancecommunicationsdelivered to all Londoners acrossmysocial mediaplatforms, emailand theCOVID-19 hub on theLondon Gov website. I have alsopartneredwith media owners such as BT todisplay key messages viatheir ‘Street Hub’ digital out-of-home advertising kiosks, in order to get health guidance messages out directlyacross London.
This has been supplemented with targeted communications to audiencesthatare thought to beless aware of, or less likely to,followhealthguidance.This hasincludedpaid advertisingtargeting younger Londonersacrosssocial media channels,and translated materials, such as audio clips, videos, and graphics,being disseminated to communities whomay be harder-to-reach through traditional channels.
Since the new variant, we havecontinuedand increasedthese communicationsacross multiple channels and platforms andcontinue to add further messages around the importance of staying home, what behaviours to follow when leaving the house, and explaining howvirustransmission works.We are also working closely with partners across London, including the NHS to highlight the impact high cases are having on our hospitals and the incredible work being done by our NHS staff.
On top of thisI’ve been using myownvoiceto convey the seriousness of the situationinmediainterviews, as well as working withhealthofficialssuch asProfessorKevinFentonat Public Health Englandtooffer Q&As with the publicso thatLondoners arefully informed abouthowtoprotect themselves and their communities.

Tube Usage

Shaun Bailey: How many commuters have used the tube in each year since 2016?

The Mayor: The accompanying table shows the average number of Oyster and Contactless cards seen on the Tube network in the AM peak on a weekday by month since September 2016.

Impact of Brexit Deal (2)

Navin Shah: What impact will this Brexit deal have on London’s service sector?

The Mayor: It is now clear that the last-minute UK/EU Brexit trade deal fails to deliver the vital market access to the EU that London’s services sector needs and expects.
London-based firms must now negotiate a patchwork of individual EU nations' regulations. This has already forced major UK-based banks to move more than £1trillion of assets and thousands of jobs to other EU cities.
We have also seen billions of Euro-denominated share trading switch to EU venues since the first trading day of the year.
In the short-term, the Government and EU must now reach an agreement that recognises UK professional qualifications, and grants equivalence to British firms wanting to provide financial services to EU markets. In the longer term, I will continue working for the UK to have a closer economic and political relationship with our EU friends.

City Hall proposed move [1]

Andrew Dismore: What discussions have you had with City Hall’s landlord to negotiate a rent reduction, in spite of the terms of the lease, in light of the impact of COVID-19 in reducing demand for office space in London?

The Mayor: This answer has been superseded by responses already given to the Assembly and Oversight in the last number of weeks.

Socialising and mental health

Tony Devenish: Do you agree with HRH Prince William that socialising is more vital than ever during the pandemic to prevent increased mental health issues? What are you doing to get this message across and promote social activities when safe?

The Mayor: The pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have had a profound impact on people’s mental health and wellbeing. Mental health is a key priority and at the forefront of our response to and recovery from COVID-19.
While limiting social contact and social distancing are key to stopping the spread of COVID-19, it’s also crucial that Londoners still have social interaction to minimise loneliness and to support wellbeing. As well as making sure our guidance about the rules tells Londoners how they can still meet with their friends and family safely, we have promoted opportunities for Londoners to connect virtually. We have showcased the work many organisations are doing across London to bring people together in different ways; from places of worship hosting celebrations like Diwali and Yom Kippur online, to the work being done by local councils to reach our most vulnerable. I have also been promoting opportunities like volunteering. Volunteering is a great way to mix with other people and safe volunteering opportunities can be found via my Covid-hub on London.gov.

Domestic abuse ethnic breakdown of victims’ self-reporting

Unmesh Desai: Please can you provide a percentage breakdown of the ethnicity, and nationality where possible, of those who have contacted the Met to report being a victim of domestic abuse in each of the last four years?

The Mayor: Please see attached the requested data for the period specified.

Community Immersion Project

Unmesh Desai: Please provide details of what the Met’s ‘bespoke local Community Immersion Project’ consists of?

The Mayor: The Community Immersion Project is designed to help recruits develop a better understanding of the communities they will serve on their Basic Command Unit (BCU).
The project will include a series of structured tasks, including engaging with the BCU Partnership Hubs and working in the community dealing with local policing issues, culminating in a presentation about their findings.
The project is aimed at building greater understanding and links between new recruits and local communities and community-based groups to strengthen trust and confidence in service delivery.

Support for Older Londoners in Tier 4

Tony Devenish: What more are you doing to support older Londoners now we are in tier 4?

The Mayor: My officers have been engaging with and responding to the concerns of older Londoners since the pandemic took hold last year. With the return to national lockdown and the roll-out of the vaccination programme, we are continuing this engagement and will be holding a roundtable discussion later this month with Age UK and other charities – specifically to focus on the challenges faced by those classed as clinically vulnerable.
As well as continuing to ensure the needs and experiences of older Londoners are informing the recovery programme – for instance addressing the digital exclusion of older Londoners through the Digital Access for All mission, I am also working through my London Food Board to ensure the food needs of older clinically extremely vulnerable Londoners are being met.
I have contributed nearly £10 million to the London Community Response Fund to support groups responding to the needs ofcommunitiesin the capital affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Older people’s organisations have been beneficiaries of all funding waves, helping to support people who are socially isolated or shielding, and providing advice.

Action Plan implementation

Unmesh Desai: It was reported in the Evening Standard that the Met was working with you on and “agreed with about 98%” of the Action Plan. What areas, if any, are still to be agreed upon?

The Mayor: The Commissioner has been clear in her commitment to the Action Plan. She has acknowledged the need for further changed and is fully signed up to the actions within the Plan.

Wider impact of cashless Transport for London stations

Caroline Russell: You are proposing to remove the ability to pay with cash at Transport for London (TfL) stations, and this may encourage other businesses in London to stop accepting cash. What studies and consultation have you undertaken to consider the wider impact of TfL moving to cashless operation on the financial health of Londoners?

The Mayor: As part of its response to the coronavirus pandemic, Transport for London (TfL) temporarily stopped accepting cash at around 200 London Underground stations and most DLR stations. Since then TfL has been engaging with a range of organisations to understand the wider impact of cashless operation on its customers as it considered whether to extend cashless operations further on the network,
In response to the feedback received to date, TfL has decided not to proceed with any further temporary changes at this present time but will continue to engage with key stakeholders. As part of this work, TfL is also investigating additional research that might help to understand more about current cash usage.

London Overground Capacity

Joanne McCartney: Is it possible for you to provide the capacity data – including times of day and times of the year – for each London Overground line?

The Mayor: The capacity is set out on the attached tables, disaggregated by section of route and time period. Capacity is defined as the service frequency multiplied by the capacity of the trains used on the route. Train capacity is defined as the total number of seats plus the standing capacity which assumes four passengers standing per metre squared of available standing space. The values are provided by hour in a single direction.
This data is based on the timetable which starts on 13 December 2020 for peak and off-peak periods. Peak is defined as between 07:00 and 09:59 during weekdays whilst off peak is defined as all other times. Some minor variations to the service frequencies quoted may occur at certain times of day e.g. early morning and late evening. The service frequencies offered do not vary throughout the year except when timetables are changed, or planned engineering works occur.

Equality Impact Assessments undertaken by TfL

Caroline Pidgeon: What criteria does TfL use to assess whether an Equality Impact Assessment should be undertaken before a change in service provision is made?

The Mayor: Transport for London is subject to the public sector equality duty and considers equalities implications in all of its work in order to reduce the barriers to travelling that affect everyone, but especially those Londoners who are already disadvantaged. These barriers include affordability, which can then limit job prospects and social integration, overcrowding, crime and the fear of crime, lack of information, physical or infrastructure barriers, and lack of awareness from staff or other passengers.Equality Impact Assessments are one way - but not the only way - for a public authority to demonstrate compliance with the equality duty and TfL does not have set criteria prescribing what form an equalities assessment should take for any particular proposed change.

Transport for London Consulting

Alison Moore: Following MQ 2020/0638 can you provide costs and revenue figures for TfL Consulting? Please break down by financial year from 2018/19 onwards. Please provide actual figures for 2018/19 to 2019/20 and estimated figures for 2020/21 and the subsequent business plan years.

The Mayor: Since its establishment in FY2018-19 Transport for London (TfL) Consulting has taken a low risk approach, grown steadily, gained a better understanding of the market and built long-lasting partnerships.
Operating deficits were incurred in FY2018-19 (£550,000) and FY2019-20 (£1.6m) whilst the team was recruited and a strategic pipeline of work was cultivated, and notwithstanding the current global economic crisis, TfL Consulting is well on track to break even in FY20-21.
Covid-19 has not materially impacted the demand for TfL’s services so far. Subject to opportunities, priorities in London, market conditions and the global economic impact of the pandemic, TfL Consulting forecasts to generate revenues of £45m by FY2025-26, and to deliver a sustainable, profitable income stream to TfL and wider value to London.

Young persons’ action group

Siân Berry: Could you give an update on the progress of the young persons’ action group being established by the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) and how it plans to work in partnership with the London Youth Assembly?

The Mayor: The London VRU has recruited ten young Londoners with lived experience of violence or campaigning on youth issues to form a new Young People’s Action Group. This group is directly influencing the London VRU’s work, ensuring that decisions are made with the input of London’s young people. They are supported with a professional and personal development plan, providing them with the skills and support to undertake their role.
The Unit is using this invaluable intelligence to inform its programme of work with parents and families, in schools and PRUs, with hospitals and the police, with young people themselves. The young leaders have participated in national youth work week and are working alongside 200 police officers and staff across the MPS who form the Violence Reduction Champions Network.
The young leaders will continue to share opportunities for young people across their networks including London’s Youth Assembly.

Centre for Governance and Scrutiny Engagement

Tony Devenish: How have you engaged with the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny since becoming Mayor?

The Mayor: We welcome the work of CFGS and its contribution to improving governance and scrutiny in local government and more widely.
GLA staff are engaged with the Combined Authority Governance Network, with which CFGS is also involved. Generally speaking, however, the work of CFGS, which until recently was known as the Centre for Public Scrutiny, has tended to relate more to Assembly than Mayoral matters. We will of course be alert tor opportunities to work with the CFGS and to learn from any best practice guidance it produces.

Social Prescribing

Onkar Sahota: What work have you been doing to support social prescribing for Londoners as a response to COVID-19?

The Mayor: Social prescribing has played an extremely valuable role in the pandemic response, with link workers working round the clock to reach vulnerable Londoners and ensure they have the support they needed. In April, Tom Coffey convened the first of three meetings, connecting stakeholders across sectors and boroughs to explore challenges, new ways of working and share examples of good practice – continuing to build the potential of social prescribing.
This year my Health Team commissioned London Plusto develop a network to support VCSE organisations and Simply Connect to develop a portal for resources to support them as they provide social prescribing support in communities. We are also looking at how we can support access to key services, such as social welfare and legal advice.
Work also continues to link active travel into social prescribing (working with TfL) and on building the role of culture in social prescribing, including through a series of mental health and culture workshops to be trialled across Merton and Southwark.

Health Inequalities

Onkar Sahota: What changes have you made so far to your health inequalities programmes to address the impact of the coronavirus pandemic?

The Mayor: The pandemic has exacerbated existing health inequalities and shone a light on others. There continues to be a great deal of work across London’s public health system and beyond to build understanding of who has been affected and how, and we will continue to use this growing intelligence to inform our work programmes.
We have been learning from partners and those on the front line to understand how we can provide support in this new context – for example, working with Thrive LDN to provide targeted signposting to mental health support; supporting VCS organisations and Link Workers to allow them to respond through social prescribing; or working with early years, schools, and workplaces through our settings-based programmes.
The pandemic will influence the health inequalities programme for a long time to come. Work is beginning on a new HIS implementation plan, overseen by the Health Equity Group. The London Recovery Board will be focusing on two health missions, and health and wellbeing will be a cross cutting theme throughout all the recovery work. – ensuring that London’s recovery will have action on health inequalities at its core.

Staffing

Onkar Sahota: As a follow up to your response to question 2020/0614 and 2020/1412, could you provide an update on your meeting with Sir David Sloman?

The Mayor: Sir David has assured me that workforce is a top priority for NHS London. He has established the London People Board to lead the strategic approach at citywide level. Their work will build on and add value to the work of the NHS Trusts and the sub-regional Integrated Care System workforce strategies.

Use of restraints in custody suites

Siân Berry: In your answer to my question 2019/19697, you told me that it was not possible to provide data on how many times Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officers used spit hoods in conjunction with other restraints in custody suites. Will you now reconsider making this data available, given that the importance of transparency and public access to data is highlighted in your new Action Plan?

The Mayor: Data Transparency is important for trust and confidence and has been highlighted in my recent Action Plan. That is why I have committed in the Plan to developing a race equality audit to bring together and make more transparent the various data that exist. This work will identify and scope what data is available, relevant and most accurate and will also consider whether and how that data can be readily extracted for publication. Data on the use of force will, of course, be considered as part of this work.

Cost of London's Zero Carbon Pathways Tool

Siân Berry: Could you tell me: a) the original cost of London’s Zero Carbon Pathways Tool, b) an estimate on the cost of updating it to shows the ways that carbon emissions might be reduced to net zero by 2030, and c) share the relevant Mayoral Decisions (MDs), Director’s Decisions (DDs) or Assistant Director's decisions (ADDs) that funded the original programme?

The Mayor: My 2030 net zero target does not necessitate a complete overhaul of our net zero carbon modelling. It is clear what actions we need to take now and over the next ten years to meet my target. My priority is to take climate action now, rather than focusing on further analysis.
The analysis to underpin the Mayor’s 1.5C compatible climate action plan and Zero Carbon Pathways Tool was carried out by independent consultants for a fee of £250,000. This fee was paid directly by C40 Cities, as London was one of the cities participating in C40’s Deadline 2020 pilot programme. In exchange for this support, London has shared lessons learnt with other cities on how to produce a climate action plan compatible with the highest ambitions of the climate agreement. Since the consultants were paid directly by C40, no formal GLA Decisions were required.

Sony TfL advertising campaign

Gareth Bacon: How much did TfL raise in revenue as a result of the Sony Playstation 5 advertising campaign at Oxford Circus?

The Mayor: The net income to Transport for London was £320,000. All installation, production and removal costs were covered by Sony.

Tube crime

Susan Hall: Presenting the data monthly to November 2020 for the past three years, please provide a breakdown of major crime types for each London tube station?

The Mayor: The attached table shows data recorded by the British Transport Police (BTP), which is held by Transport for London (TfL), breaking down major crime types for each London station.
The table can be used to filter based on London Underground station, and further filtered by “OnTrain/Station/Line” to achieve a further breakdown of offences:
The column headings indicate the major crime types*.
The BTP also publishes crime statistics for the rail industry at: https://crimemaps.btp.police.uk/.
Crime statistics should be viewed in context. For example, stations with higher passenger footfall/ridership inevitably generate more reported crime than those with lower footfall. On-train crime happens along the route of the train but is generally recorded at the end station or terminus station, meaning figures could be higher at these stations. Crime statistics are not always accurate indicators of risk. Police activity to target particular offences, changes in reporting methods and other factors can affect reported crime figures.
The BTP also launched its online crime reporting feature in late 2018, which made it easier to report crime and has resulted in the BTP recording crimes that may have gone unreported previously.
The vast majority – hundreds of millions – of passenger journeys are made safely each year and TfL continues to work closely with the BTP and other police forces to minimise crime on its network, encourage victims of crime to report it should it occur, and enhance support for those affected.

National Fraud Intelligence Bureau referrals

Steve O'Connell: For each of the years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, how many National Fraud Intelligence Bureau referrals have been received by the MPS?

The Mayor: The following data has been supplied by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau within the City of London Police.
The following table shows the number of fraud disseminations made to the MPS by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau.
Year
Sum of Enforcement Pursue Disseminations
2015
27,221
2016
25,005
2017
22,114
2018
20,120
2019
8,753
2020
7,103
Grand Total
110,316
The reduction in 2019 coincided with the introduction of the new dissemination system and processes within the NFIB

Kidnappings

Susan Hall: From November 2018, please provide a monthly breakdown of kidnappings

The Mayor: Please see attached the requested data for the period specified.

Blackmail offences

Susan Hall: From November 2018, for each month, please can you provide a breakdown of the number of blackmail offences?

The Mayor: Please see attached the requested data for the period specified.

Drugs in schools

Susan Hall: For each of the years Nov 16 to Oct 17, Nov 17 to Oct 18, Nov 18 to Oct 19 and Nov 19 to Oct 20, please can you provide how many drug offences in schools have been reported to the police?

The Mayor: Please see attached the requested data for the period specified. Please ensure that the Notes Page is read in conjunction with the data in this report to ensure correct interpretation.

Undercover police officers and sexual relationships (1)

Siân Berry: Baroness Williams of Trafford, Minister of State for the Home Department in the House of Lords debate on the Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill on 3 December 2020 said that undercover officers forming sexual relationships with those under surveillance: “was not acceptable and it was never lawful.” Do you share the Government view that undercover officers forming sexual relationships with those under surveillance is illegal now and was also ‘unlawful’ in the past?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police have apologised for the actions of certain undercover officers who formed sexual relationships with individuals who were under surveillance. All these matters are now being looked into by the Undercover policing Inquiry and by the Investigation Powers Tribunal. These Judge led hearings will be much better placed than me to decide on the legality of such acts. I am also aware that these cases were referred to the CPS who decided that no prosecutions would follow from these relationships.

Undercover police officers and sexual relationships (2)

Siân Berry: Has the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) investigated and identified all past examples of undercover police taking part in sexual relationships with subjects whilst carrying out surveillance?

The Mayor: In all instances where allegations of sexual relationships with undercover officers are alleged an assessment will be undertaken to establish whether the matter should be subject to investigation. In relation to the Undercover Police Inquiry the Metropolitan Police has worked hard to identify and disclose all such cases.

Undercover police officers and sexual relationships (3)

Siân Berry: Have all cases involving undercover Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officers taking part in sexual relationships with subjects while carrying out surveillance now been reported to the chair of the Undercover Policing Inquiry and will they be subject to legal proceedings?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police has fully engaged with the Chair of the Undercover Police Inquiry to disclose all instances where officers have been alleged to have been involved in sexual relationships whilst being deployed in an undercover capacity. Where appropriate, legal proceedings are/ have been pursued.

Deputy Mayor for Business Meetings

Shaun Bailey: How many times have you personally met with Rajesh Agrawal, Deputy Mayor for Business, since lockdown began to discuss London’s economic recovery?

The Mayor: My Deputy Mayor for Business, Rajesh Agrawal, has played a key role in our response to the pandemic, making sure regular updates are fed back to me from his meetings with the business community as well as his meetings chairing the Business & Economic Impacts sub-group of the Strategic Coordination Group. Since the lockdown I have had numerous meetings with Rajesh during which we discussed London’s economic recovery. Such occasions occurred approximately 30 times.

Covid in Schools (2)

Leonie Cooper: Do you know how many teaching staff have taken sick time off with Covid in Merton?

The Mayor: Please see response to Mayoral Question 2021/0280.

Covid in Schools (1)

Leonie Cooper: Do you know how many teaching staff have taken sick time off with Covid in Wandsworth?

The Mayor: The Greater London Authority does not collect data on the number of teaching staff that have taken sick time off due to Covid-19.
As part of their dailyeducation settings surveythe Department for Education (DfE)asksschools how many of their teaching assistants and other staff are unable to attend andreasons include: suspected or confirmed Covid-19, and requests to remain at home due to contact with confirmed cases. The DfE publish weekly statistics onattendance in education and early years settings during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. From 19 January the DfE will publish national workforce absence data backdated for the autumn term and will update this weekly.
You can make specific borough data enquiries to the DfE by contacting[emailprotected]. I hope the DfE can share with you the information you are seeking.

Pay It Forward Scheme Spending

Shaun Bailey: How much have you spent on the Pay it Forward scheme and how much future funding has the scheme been allocated?

The Mayor: Pay It Forward London has, so far, helped over 460 businesses raise over £1.7 million from the crowd to support them through the Covid-19 crisis.
The total amount spent by the GLA is £64,000.
Pay it Forward is delivered in partnership with Crowdfunder. The platform is self-sustaining and does not currently require any further public investment.

City Hall Facilities and Maintenance Spending

Shaun Bailey: How much money has been spent on City Hall facility management and building maintenance since the start of the pandemic and how does this compare to pre-covid spending?

The Mayor: The cost of the City Hall facilities management and building maintenance is £14,349,515 and for the same period previous year was £14,083,216.
For accountancy purposes these figures are from start of the financial year to end of period 9 for both stated figures.

PRU attendance

Jennette Arnold: We know that drug gangs prey on vulnerable young people. Those excluded or missing school are of the most likely and most vulnerable to this. Estimates show that only just over half of pupils are attending state-funded AP and PRU schools this term, compared with 78% attendance in mainstream secondaries. What work are you doing to protect those young people in particular?

The Mayor: The London VRU is committed to reducing the number of young people excluded and missing from mainstream education by developing programmes in partnership with local authorities and educational establishments that value inclusion and nurturing. The London VRU education programme is currently working with over 200 mainstream schools in London to create more inclusive environments to support young people to stay in school and out of trouble.
I am also funding mentoring in London’s PRUs to support those children most vulnerable to exploitation, much of which will focus on outreach and engagement. This will ensure that young people who are struggling to engage or have experienced fixed term exclusions have a mentor who can help to address behavioural barriers that can prevent attendance and progress at school.
The ‘Open Doors London’ initiative, a school holiday programme of sport-based intervention and mentoring to re-engage vulnerable young people at risk of exclusion, or within selected APs/PRUs, will help young people back into education.

Assaults on London Bus Drivers

Keith Prince: Broken down by month up to November 2020 for the past three years, how many London bus drivers have been assaulted?

The Mayor: Violence against staff is completely unacceptable and TfL will always seek tough penalties from perpetrators. Both TfL and I have the safety of staff and customers as our highest priority.
In February 2020, the SSHRP approved a comprehensive strategy to eradicate workplace violence and aggression for TfL staff, and the staff of its operators and contractors. Significant effort – including investment in body-worn cameras and the creation of a new function of a Transport Support and Enforcement Officer to protect frontline colleagues by tackling anti-social behaviour – is beginning to deliver results.
There are different ways that bus drivers can report incidents of work-related violence and aggression, including directly to Transport for London (TfL) via the on-bus radio facility to control room, TfL’s incident reporting systems, and/or to the police. TfL is working to integrate the data to improve its understanding of the scale and nature of the problem, regardless of how it is reported.
Work-related violence and aggression crime data is published in the TfL Safety, Sustainability and Human Resources Panel (SSHRP) report on a quarterly basis. The quarterly breakdown of work-related violence and aggression offences recorded by the Metropolitan Police Service for bus drivers for the last three years is shown in the attached table.

Deputy Mayor’s misleading statements to London Assembly on 11 September 2019

Keith Prince: Further to your response to Question 2020/4097, does it concern you that— seemingly ignorant of IA 16767 existence—your Deputy Mayor testified to the London Assembly on 11 September 2019 “having looked at a lot of the documents myself, as you would expect, speaking to senior members of staff at TfL about exactly what has happened, I am confident that a further independent investigation into this is not required.”

11 September 2019 was almost 3 years after Sandilands, so when was the Deputy Mayor informed about the existence of IA 16767?

Please provide me with all communications and documentation associated with this event.

The Mayor: I refer you to my answer to MQ 2020/4097. The Deputy Mayor was briefed about the audit during preparation of the response to MQ 2019/17340.
I refer you to my answers to MQ 2020/4093, 2020/4094, 2020/4095 and 2020/4096.

Crossrail Lost Working Days

Keith Prince: How many working days were lost after the Mayor’s decision to stop work on Crossrail in 2020 due to coronavirus?

The Mayor: The decision to bring all project sites to a temporary ‘Safe Stop’ was taken solely by the Crossrail Ltd leadership team, as part of its safety management system, though I fully support their decision to keep their staff as safe as possible. The decision was enacted on 24 March 2020 and all physical works at Crossrail sites were paused, along with Dynamic Testing. Many of the remaining activities on these sites are in restricted and often enclosed spaces where several people are required to work. It was therefore not possible to continue works at that time in accordance with the Public Health England guidance.
During this period, essential and business-critical work continued across the programme. This included vital assurance and safety certification work that was supported by staff across Crossrail Ltd and its supply chain, working virtually, and by small teams of engineers at the central station sites. Despite the challenges, teams were still able to make good progress during lockdown and successfully handed over the first of the central section stations (Custom House) to Transport for London.
From 20 April 2020 a small, but increasing, number of works were authorised on a limited basis before the project could remobilise its supply chain to the full extent possible under Public Health England guidance. At the time of writing, there is an estimated 2,500 people working safely on site across the programme.

Scotch Eggs

Peter Whittle: I would like some assurance from you that under the current Coronavirus restrictions officers of the Metropolitan Police will not be entering licensed premises to arguewith landlords and customers about whether a Scotch Egg constitutes a ‘substantial’ meal and ordering customers to leave pub premises as soon as they had finished their meals, thus preventing them from ordering more drinks1.In my opinion, for a variety of reasons, which I have previously raised, the Metropolitan Police has not done its reputation any favours over the last year and I believe that a heavy-handed approach to this issue will only serve to estrange it even further from Londoners.

1https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/12/03/overzealous-police-patrol-pubs-argue-landlords-scotch-eggs/

The Mayor: Local authorities and licensing will deal with many of these issues, working with landlords to ensure the regulations are adhered to and understood.

101 call waits

Susan Hall: How long is the average wait time on 101 calls broken down by year since 2016/17?

The Mayor: Please see attached the requested data for the period specified.

Lost Police Evidence

Peter Whittle: I note the report in The Times newspaper on 5 October 2020 that a total of 1,343 piecesof evidence were recorded aslostor misplaced by theMetropolitan Police fromthe start of2013to15 May2020, according to data obtained under a Freedom of Information request1. Would you please explain how this state of affairs has come about and what steps are being taken by theMetropolitan Police to rectify it?

1https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/met-police-has-lost-1-300-pieces-of-evidence-cmjdbwj3d#:~:text=A%20total%20of%201%2C343%20pieces,under%20freedom%20of%20information%20laws.

The Mayor: The detail disclosed as per the previous Freedom of Information request reflects that up until June 2019, there was no centralisation of exhibit data and the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) was operating 61 stand-alone databases to record evidence / criminal exhibits. These were replaced by a single future proofed solution (KIMS system), providing enhanced visibility and resilience relating to evidential records.
The MPS acknowledges that there may been some occasions where human or system error has resulted in the loss or incorrect handling of evidence, this is extremely rare.
To clarify the statement relating to “loss” of evidence. The definition on this is determined as “missing” items at the time of the data extraction could have been recorded as such due to a number of reasons:
• Booked out to police officer/court proceeding/further investigation
• Booked out for any reason and then returned in a different exhibit bag
• The item has been returned to the owner but database not updated
• Correctly or incorrectly destroyed but database not updated
• Actual lost items
The MPS seizes and secures approximately 600,000 piece of evidence per year and take great pride and care in the management of evidence in the support of bringing criminals to justice and keeping London safe. During the period referenced and at the time of the data extraction, there were a total of 1344 results. Across the same period there would have approximately 4 million seizures of evidence - equalling a 0.0003% missing vs complete number of evidence records.

Noise level of Fireworks

Leonie Cooper: A constituent would like to know: were noise levels monitored and how much quieter were the drone displays?

The Mayor: Given the short duration of the show, and that it was held over a number of different locations, sound levels were not monitored. However, as you will be awaredrones are significantly quieter than fireworks.
The fireworks in the show were reduced to around a third of previous years’ displays and so created a lower sound impact overall when compared to previous New Year’s Eve events.

Cost of Fireworks (2)

Leonie Cooper: A constituent would like to know: How were this year’s fireworks paid for, given there were no ticket sales?

The Mayor: The budget of £1.5m was allocated from the GLA events budget and was substantially less than in previous years.
Previous New Year’s Eve events have been ticketed to support crowd and safety managementonly. The funds raised by the ticket sales only cover the costs associated with the ticketing process (e.g. logistics of tickets and infrastructure around viewing areas).

Cost of Fireworks (1)

Leonie Cooper: A constituent would like to know: what was the cost of this year’s New Year’s Eve fireworks?

The Mayor: This year’s budget was £1.5m – substantially less than in previous years. The final cost is still being calculated and is within the allocated budget.

EU settlement status (2)

Leonie Cooper: Do you know how many residents in Merton have still not applied for settled status?

The Mayor: It is not possible to accurately know the number of people eligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme, hence it is impossible to know how many people still need to apply. The most up to date population figures from year ending June 2020 show Merton having 23,000 EUSS eligible residents, still, 35,50 applications to the EU Settlement Scheme have been received from Merton residents according to Home Office statistics up to September 2020.
There are several reasons why we cannot compare numbers of people granted status with official EU citizen population estimates. For example, Home Office counts the applications from individuals twice if they receive pre-settled status and then convert to settled status, or if they re-apply after an initial application is not granted. Furthermore, the resident data sources that we rely on are outdated and have important limitations.
This report from the Migration Observatory on understanding the EUSS data goes into more details: https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Report_Not-Settled-Yet-Understanding-the-EU-Settlement-Scheme-using-the-Available-Data.pdf

EU settlement status (1)

Leonie Cooper: Do you know how many residents in Wandsworth have still not applied for settled status?

The Mayor: It is not possible to accurately know the number of people eligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme, hence impossible to know how many people still need to apply. The most up to date population figures from year ending June 2020 show Wandsworth as having 34,000 EUSS eligible residents, yet, 50,700 applications to the EU Settlement Scheme have been received from Wandsworth residents according to Home Office statistics up to September 2020.
There are several reasons why we cannot compare numbers of people granted status with official EU citizen population estimates. For example, Home Office counts the applications from individuals twice if they receive pre-settled status and then convert to settled status, or if they re-apply after an initial application is not granted. Furthermore, the resident data sources that we rely on are outdated and have important limitations.
This report from the Migration Observatory on understanding the EUSS data goes into more details: https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Report_Not-Settled-Yet-Understanding-the-EU-Settlement-Scheme-using-the-Available-Data.pdf

Spending Review (2)

Len Duvall: What impact will the Government’s commitment to cover 75% of council tax and business rates income have on the GLA and functional bodies?

The Mayor: In December 2020 the Government confirmed it would compensate local authorities for 75% of irrecoverable losses in council tax and business rates income in respect of 2020-21.
Losses of council tax and business rates income in scope of the guarantee will be measured by comparing an authority’s council tax requirement for 2020-21 and estimated 2020-21 non-domestic rating income with outturn figures. These outturn figures will not be known until after March 2021, once the financial year has ended and depend on information provided by the 33 billing authorities following their end-of-year accounts processes. As such, it is not yet possible to accurately estimate the impact on the GLA and functional bodies.
The Government has stated it expects to be in a position to make section 31 grant payments directly to billing and major precepting authorities by January 2022, covering 75% of losses identified using the methodology outlined above.

Covid in Schools (4)

Leonie Cooper: Do you know how many Teaching staff have died from Covid in Merton?

The Mayor: Please see response to Mayoral Question 2021/0282.

Covid in Schools (3)

Leonie Cooper: Do you know how many Teaching staff have died from Covid in Wandsworth?

The Mayor: The Greater London Authority does not collect data on the number of deaths of teaching staff due to Covid-19.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published provisional analysis of deaths involving the coronavirus (COVID-19), by different occupational groups, among men and women aged 20 to 64 years in England and Wales, for the period of 9 March to 25 May 2020. However, borough-level statistics on the number of deaths of teaching staff are not published. Specific questions regarding this data should be directed to [emailprotected]. I hope the ONS can share with you the information you are seeking.

The Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm

Peter Whittle: To ask the Mayor what progress has been made in appointments to his Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm?

The Mayor: Applications for the Commission for Diversity in Public Realm closed on 4 October 2020.Nearly 300 applications were received from a highly skilled range of people from a wide range of backgrounds, indicating the passion, knowledge and desire for action in this area.
Shortlisted candidates have now been interviewed and final appointments will be announced shortly.

Hate Crime (2)

Peter Whittle: To ask the Mayor, how many ‘non-crime hate incidents’ were recorded by the Metropolitan Police in 2020?

The Mayor: Between January and December 2020, the Met recorded 3,467 non-crime hate incidents.
Non-crime incidents are noted when the incident does not amount to criminal behavior and are recorded using the specific Home Office Codes.
It is important to note that there is currently no code for non-crime hate incidents linked to transgender identity.
This data was retrieved from the CRIS MIS database on 12/01/2021.

Vaccinations for front line police

Andrew Dismore: What is the plan for the rollout of vaccines for front-line police officers, who patrol in the public and come into regular contact with people from outside their households? Can they be provided with prioritisation in the Covid vaccine rollout?

The Mayor: Last month I wrote to Matt Hancock and the JCVI welcoming the initial prioritisation of people living in care homes and care workers and that alongside care home staff, frontline NHS staff will also receive the vaccine as early as possible. This way we can rapidly protect those most vulnerable to the virus, lift the burden on our NHS, and to ensure the country can begin to recover from this crisis.
The Government’s COVID-19 vaccines delivery plan recommends that phase two considers the rollout of the vaccine to others delivering key public services, which I welcome, and which should include prioritisation of key workers, including teachers, TfL staff and the Metropolitan Police who might be more vulnerable to infection due to the public-facing nature of their work and because they cannot work from home. I have urged the Government to work with London leaders in preparation for this second phase of the rollout.

National Ugly Mugs Funding

Andrew Boff: What GLA Group funding has been provided to the National Ugly Mugs scheme in the past 2 years?

The Mayor: Ugly Mugs received £33,407 in financial year 2018/19 and £33,407 in 2019/20. This was paid through the MOPAC Small Grants Fund for victims’ services and was part of a three-year award totalling £100,221 to continue to employ a Victim Support Case Worker to deliver training to frontline professionals and provide a pan London casework and referral service to support service users that have been a victim of crime.

The Crystal (3)

Navin Shah: Given that City Hall was purpose-built for our the GLA/Assembly use with a distinctive atrium, an assembly chamber etc. I don’t expect prospective users queuing up for City Hall accommodation if we were to relocate to another site. Can you indicate if you have met the freeholder to negotiate an extension of lease with much lower rent?

The Mayor: This answer has been superseded by responses already given to the Assembly and Oversight in the last number of weeks.

The Crystal (2)

Navin Shah: What other sites/buildings have been assessed as part of alternative accommodation? Can I have details of all such alternatives and can this be circulated as part of the consultation process?

The Mayor: This answer has been superseded by responses already given to the Assembly and Oversight in the last number of weeks.

Unconscious Bias Training (2)

Susan Hall: Can you provide a breakdown of the cost of providing unconscious bias training across the GLA's functional bodies over the last two years?

The Mayor: Unconscious bias training at Transport for London (TfL) is delivered on an ‘in house’ basis using our online e-learning system. TfL pays £5,000 per annum for the license to use a suite of training materials of which unconscious bias training is a part of.
Additionally, in the last two years four trainer-led unconscious bias workshops were run, at a cost of £1,127.

Covid (2)

Susan Hall: What have you, your office and the wider GLA family done to tackle misinformation, fake news, and distrust in science and vaccines in London?

The Mayor: The best way to tackle misinformation about vaccines and anti-vaccination narratives is to clearly present the truth that vaccines have saved millions of lives around the world and to reassure Londoners about their safety and efficiency.
We continue to work with partners across London, including NHS London, PHE London, local authorities and community stakeholders to deliver a campaign to promote the COVID-19 vaccine to Londoners. This has included sharing content on all our channels from trusted sources like the NHS and Public Health England and producing our own messaging.
In addition to my visit to Croydon University Hospital on the first day of vaccination, I was pleased to recently join a virtual visit to St Thomas’s. I promoted both visits through TV interviews and social media. I also took part in a live Q&A on vaccines with a scientist on TikTok to counter vaccine hesitancy amongst young people. My team had been working with stakeholders and using advertising, social media and traditional media to ensure Londoners have the right information. We are also looking at translating information into key languages and working with social media platforms to tackle disinformation.
We share assets with community and faith groups to help promote uptake, and we continue to support the NHS and PHE in a regular public health briefing to community groups. These briefings include discussions about the vaccine and provide an important opportunity for communities to directly ask the experts about their concerns.
I will continue to do all I can as Mayor to use my platform and communications channels to speak to Londoners about vaccines and to tackle disinformation.

Covid

Susan Hall: What impact has misinformation, fake news, and distrust in science and vaccines had on the fight against the epidemic in London?

The Mayor: There is a lot of dangerous misinformation about vaccines. However, I am also aware that there are legitimate concerns among some people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, based on historic injustices perpetrated against their communities. I am concerned that polling and studies conducted by several organisations, including by the Royal Society for Public Health, show that BAME Londoners are more likely to refuse the offer of the vaccine than white British Londoners.
It is vital we have clear and transparent data on the uptake of the vaccine so that we know that those who will gain the greatest benefit are receiving it. We need to know more to fully understand how potential worries about the vaccine are impacting on which groups of Londoners in taking up their offer. We must address the disproportionate impacts of this disease and so I am calling on the government to ensure that ethnicity is recorded within the vaccine programme and forms part of the regular data reporting.
Building confidence in vaccines is vital to protecting all our communities in London and when making their decision on the vaccine, Londoners must have access to accurate and trusted information. We must all share the message that vaccines have and continue to save millions of lives around the world and that the COVID-19 vaccines are safe.

Facial recognition

Susan Hall: In 2020, how many times has facial recognition been used by the Met and how many suspects were apprehended as a result?

The Mayor: There were three deployments of Live Facial Recognition in 2020. One suspect was arrested as a result.
Full details of all deployments of Live Facial Recognition are published on the Met website:
https://www.met.police.uk/SysSiteAssets/media/downloads/central/advice/met/facial-recognition/latest-past-deployment-data.pdf

European Londoners Hub

Susan Hall: How many European Londoners has the European Londoners Hub supported each year since its creation?

The Mayor: The European Londoners Hub has been accessed by over 1 million unique users since its soft launch in October 2018.
In 2018 the Hub had 46,240 unique visitors
In 2019 the Hub had 336,860 unique visitors
In 2020 the Hub had 687,821 unique visitors
So far in 2021 (12th January), the Hub has had 1,002 unique visitors

European Londoners Hub Spending

Susan Hall: How much money has been spent on the European Londoners Hub for each year since its creation?

The Mayor: Between 7th September 2018 and 30th June 2021, a total of £119,235 has been spent on developing and maintaining the European Londoners Hub, including user testing, translating material and video production.
This is part of a wider programme to provide outreach, advice and support to European Londoners navigating the consequences of Brexit.

Covid (3)

Susan Hall: Have you had any contact with social media companies to remove dangerous/misleading online Covid-19 posts? If so, how many have been removed?

The Mayor: As outlined in the47thMayor’s report to the Assembly, GLA officersand the Mayoral Director of External and InternationalAffairsmet with Facebook/Instagram(18thNovember),Google/Youtube(20thNovember),TikTok(16thNovember), Twitter (25thNovember) andNextdoor(23rdNovember) to raise concerns I have about the role misinformation and disinformation is playing in driving vaccine hesitancy in London, and to explore how the platforms can work more closely with partners in London to promote uptake of COVID vaccines.
All the platforms have policies in place enabling the removal of medical disinformation and misinformation that is likely to cause real-world harm and have asked that GLA officers forward on any content they become aware of that may breach these policies. All the platforms have made commitments to work with the GLA and other London partners on an ongoing basis to help promote public health messaging. This support includes content and influencer partnerships, technical advice on improving the reach of campaigns and anonymised insight and intelligence about online discussion in London.
My teams haveestablishedan escalation process where werefer posts to the Cabinet Office’s Rapid Response Unit and the Counter Disinformation Unit for escalation where they are flagged or referred to us, or where misinformation or disinformation has been identified, but we don’t routinely monitor social media specifically for disinformation. We don’t have a record of which posts were successfully removed following our referral.

Brexit Business Hub

Susan Hall: How many Londoners did the Brexit Business Hub support?

The Mayor: In October 2018 I launched my Brexit Business Resource Hub to help London businesses to prepare for Brexit challenges. It brought together advice and guidance on preparing for potential ‘no deal’ outcomes as the UK and EU negotiated the Withdrawal Agreement and the subsequent new trade relationship. It is now focussed on helping businesses to understand how they will be affected by the new rules of the UK-EU Trade Agreement agreed on 24 December 2020.
Between October 2018 and October 2020 there were 15,486 visits to the Brexit Business Resource Hub; at which point Brexit support was switched to the new London Business Hub: https://www.businesshub.london/.
Alongside this, between March 2019 and March 2020 1,440 small business owners participated in a support programme of workshops, presentations and advice clinics focussed on resilience and Brexit preparedness (called ‘Navigating Brexit for SMEs’)

London Election Counting Locations

David Kurten: What alternative locations do the GLA plan to use instead of Excel for vote counting in next year's London elections, given that Excel is in use as a Nightingale Hospital?

The Mayor: This is a matter for the GLA’s Chief Officer, Mary Harpley, in her capacity as the Greater London Returning Officer. She advises that East London’s Excel conference centre is a very large venue with multiple entry points.
Excel have confirmed in writing that the centre’s use as one of London’s three election vote-counting centres on Friday 7 May 2021 will not be adversely affected in the event that it is still also being used as a Nightingale Hospital on that date; and appropriate health, safety and security measures will be taken into consideration.

Protection and enhancement of open spaces in Lewisham

Len Duvall: Will you ask your officers to make contact with Grove Park Neighbourhood Forum in Lewisham, and Lewisham Council to examine the potential of a Grove Park urban park project with a view to lend practical support to this initiative?

The Mayor: The project is a welcome proposal to enhance and better connect green spaces along a linear corridor in Lewisham.
Lewisham’s draft new local plan and Parks and Open Space Strategy acknowledge this project, indicating that the distinctive network of green spaces in the Grove Park area should be protected and enhanced. Development proposals should also seek to enhance the character, amenity and environmental value of this network.
The ambitions of this project are supported through the policies in my new London Plan, which state that the capital’s network of green infrastructure should be protected and enhanced. These new policies, including the Urban Greening Factor, have the potential to help accelerate the delivery of this project.
Whilst the project is best taken forward at a borough level, my officers would be happy to advise on relevant initiatives or funding opportunities and will be in touch. Grove Park Neighbourhood Forum have already been supported through my Good Growth Fund to produce a toolkit to improve the area

COVID Vaccine Advice and Messaging

Joanne McCartney: What work are you and partners undertaking to ensure that Londoners are given accurate advice and information on the need to be vaccinated against COVID-19?

The Mayor: Building confidence in vaccines and ensuring Londoners take up the COVID-19 vaccine when their turn comes is vital to protecting all our communities in London.
That’s whyI am workingwith partnerssuch as London’s councils, NHS London, PHE,community groups, faith leaders, businesses, unions and otherstoprovideaccurateinformationto Londonersabout the COVID-19 vaccine, respond tospecific concernsand support the vaccine’s equitable roll out in the capital.
Since the vaccine roll out began in December, Ihave visited a number of vaccine sites, includingCroydon University Hospital on the day the first vaccine was administered,virtually attendingSt Thomas’ Hospital to see the first Oxford-Astra-Zeneca vaccines being administered to Londoners,andvisitingNetwork House inNorthWestLondon.I also plan to visit a GP practice this month.Iwillcontinue toattendvaccination hubs anduse these visits as an opportunity to promote vaccine take upto a wide range of media outlets, includingthose reachingBlack, Asian and minority ethnicLondoners.
Last month, I took part in a live Q&A onTikTok, talkingaboutvaccines withscientistDr AnnaBlakneytocounter vaccine hesitancy amongst young people. In addition, my team havebeen usingtargetedadvertising, social media, andpressto ensure Londoners have the right informationabout the COVID-19 vaccine. Thisincludesregular media interviewsto national andregionalmedia, and those that reach Black, Asian and minority ethnic Londoners, about the importance of the vaccine.
We knowworking with trusted community voices and medical professionals is an importantmethodof reachingpeople who might be vaccinehesitant.My teamscontinue to support this work, includingthroughsharing assetson facts and safetywithcommunity and faith groups.
In addition to sharing content, mycommunities and health teamsconveneregularbriefingsforfaith and community networks with speakers fromPHE and NHS.These eventsprovideupdates on vaccines,community safety andallowattendeestoask questions. Over 600 organisationsare invited to attend andresponsestofrequentlyasked questionsareshared via email after each briefing.My team isalsoworking with the NHS and PHE engagement leads to support a community-led approach to information on vaccines, focused on equipping and training leaders from within the community to engage with their peers
I will continue to do all I can as Mayor to use myvoice andplatformsto ensure Londoners are given accurate advice and information about the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine.On behalf of all Londoners, I’d like to say a heartfelt thank you tothe NHS and all the medical professionals, community leaders and volunteers who continue to work tirelessly to support the roll out of the vaccine.

Car Sharing Schemes in Outer London

Joanne McCartney: What action have you taken and are you planning to take to encourage more car sharing schemes in outer London, such as in my constituency of Enfield & Haringey?

The Mayor: Car clubs can enable Londoners to drive less when delivered as part of a wider package of measures to reduce car use and this is reflected in my Transport Strategy.
Transport for London (TfL) is promoting car clubs as part of the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), encouraging Londoners who own a non-compliant car to consider alternatives, including car clubs. The TfL website has a webpage dedicated to car clubs, listing their benefits and links to car club operators. ULEZ expansion communication material includes promotion of car clubs as an alternative to private car ownership. TfL is also promoting offers from car clubs as part of the ULEZ car and motorcycle scrappage scheme.
TfL is working closely with London Councils to promote a more consistent approach to car clubs across London boroughs, both through a new framework for data collection and work seeking to simplify procurement processes. This includes financial support from TfL.
TfL also continue to roll out electric vehicle charging points at pace, which supports car clubs in transitioning their fleets to electric vehicles.
TfL supports the roll out of car club services in outer London where they can help Londoners reduce their reliance on cars by providing an alternative to car ownership in areas where this is highest. However, car club operators have historically focused their activities in inner and central London. TfL will continue to work closely with boroughs and car clubs to ensure their services help accelerate the shift to more sustainable travel in line with my Transport Strategy.

UK Withdrawal from Erasmus Scheme

Joanne McCartney: What is the likely effect on London students as a result of the Government’s decision to withdraw from the successful Erasmus Scheme that has allowed thousands of our young people to study abroad? What does any UK replacement scheme need to include?

The Mayor: I have consistently made the case for the UK’s ongoing participation in Erasmus+ and am disappointed in the Government’s decision to withdraw from the scheme. The Erasmus programme has fostered a greater understanding between EU nationals over many decades and offered huge benefits both to our students studying abroad and those coming to London in return.
Government must now work closely with Higher Education providers to ensure the proposed replacement Turing Scheme offers a high quality experience for students. No student should lose out on the opportunity to study abroad as a result of this change and adequate financial support must be provided. The new scheme must also ensure that London and the UK remain an attractive study destination for international students. This means providing clarity on how incoming students to UK universities will be supported through the scheme, to enable reciprocal exchanges to take place.

Thameslink

Alison Moore: Whilst welcoming the recent addition of the Thameslink to the Tube Map, will you make it a permanent addition, and if not, why not?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) will review keep under review whether it would be helpful to keep Thameslink on the Tube Map permanently. This will be considered when it is planning the December update to the Tube map.
The decision has initially been made on a temporary basis to offer customers choice about moving across the capital while social distancing is in place.
Like other rail services which are included on the London Tube and Rail map, but not the Tube Map, the Thameslink services are not operated by TfL. TfL will have a period of monitoring to ensure that its inclusion is working effectively for customers and staff.

Homeless Young People (6)

Murad Qureshi: What steps are you taking to support the development of high-quality, affordable and sustainable move-on accommodation for young people facing homelessness in London, and for those unable to afford accommodation in the private rental market?

The Mayor: Funding is available through both my Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme (RSAP) and Move-On Programme for move-on accommodation and support for young homeless people. I have so far allocated funding for 903 homes through the first round of RSAP. One RSAP project that will focus on young homeless people will deliver 32 homes for under 35s in west London. I am keen to encourage more youth-specific bids, and my officers are in discussions with specialist youth homelessness charities to bring forward much-needed schemes for this group.
In addition, my Platform for Life programme focuses on increasing the supply of accommodation for young people aged 18 to 24 who are at risk of homelessness and in education, training or employment.

E-Scooter Trial (2)

Alison Moore: During the rental e-scooters trial, how will TfL monitor and enforce against the potential increase in private use of e-scooters?

The Mayor: Enforcement against the use of privately-owned e-scooters will continue to be a matter for the Metropolitan Police Roads and Transport Policing Command (RTPC).
The rental e-scooter trial will be the only legal way of riding e-scooters in public places within London. Use of privately-owned e-scooters in any public place will remain illegal.
Should the Department for Transport (DfT) bring forward any further legislative proposals affecting the use of e-scooters, the data and experience gained from the London trial will be key in enabling TfL, London Councils and the boroughs to inform DfT’s legislative changes and to take evidence-based policy positions on these vehicles.
Transport for London and I will continue to influence the appropriate use of e-scooters in the capital, prioritising the safety of all Londoners.

E-Scooter Trial (1)

Alison Moore: During the rental e-scooters trial, how will TfL collect and monitor the type and number of collisions involving e-scooters?

The Mayor: Safety is at the heart of Transport for London’s (TfL’s) approach to the e-scooter trial. The purpose of taking a collaborative approach between TfL, London Councils and the London boroughs is to drive up the safety standards for London, and it will seek to ensure that all operators adhere to the set safety criteria throughout the trial.
In order to monitor the trial and build our understanding of e-scooter use, once trials begin, operators will be asked to provide logs and regular reports to TfL on multiple topics including incidents. TfL will also be working closely with the Metropolitan Police to monitor collisions and other impacts associated with the trial. The Metropolitan Police will continue to enforce against the use of privately-owned e-scooters.
Further safety criteria will be explored with operators throughout the procurement process as the trial progresses, and as part of this, TfL will work to ensure it can monitor any additionally agreed aspects.

Road charge (3)

Gareth Bacon: Please publish the methodology used behind the proposals to introduce a £3.50 road charge, including how the reduction in journeys and revenue calculations were reached.

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has undertaken an initial traffic assessment of a Greater London Boundary Charge for non-residents using a transport demand model and analysis. The impact on journeys was assessed for overall and cross-boundary trips and was estimated to reduce the total number of weekday car trips across the Greater London boundary by 10-15 per cent. Initial revenue assessment suggests this could raise around £500 million a year. This initial revenue calculation is derived based on the remaining crossings by non-residents after the reduction in car trips as result of the potential charge.
I have asked TfL to undertake a feasibility study into a potential Greater London Boundary Charge for non-residents which will assess impacts of a potential charge in more detail.

Road charge (2)

Gareth Bacon: What assessment have you made of the impact of your proposed £3.50 road charge on vulnerable and disabled people who need to travel into London boroughs to access hospitals, GP surgeries and other vital services?

The Mayor: I have asked Transport for London (TfL) to undertake a feasibility study into a potential Greater London Boundary Charge for non-residents. As part of this, TfL will undertake an assessment of the impact of options on traffic, environment, health, equality and the economy, including disabled people. The full findings of the study are expected later in the year.

GLA spending per borough

Gareth Bacon: Please provide total GLA expenditure broken down by London borough for 2019/20 and 2020/21.

The Mayor: GLA expenditure isn’t necessarily wholly apportioned within the boundaries of a particular London borough. Therefore, officers cannot readily capture GLA spend broken down by local authority within London and as the expenditure data is not collated by borough it would require an extensive manual exercise to do so.

TfL Passenger Revenue

Susan Hall: Can you provide an update to MQ 2020/1809 on passenger revenue for as much of 2020-21 as data is available?

The Mayor: The accompanying table shows the passenger income for 2020/21 split by period and mode for weekdays. The coronavirus pandemic continues to affect passenger demand across all Transport for London modes.

TfL Advertising Income

Susan Hall: Can you provide the most up-to-date figures possible regarding TfL's revenue income from advertising in 2020-21?

The Mayor: Transport for London has published its quarter 2 2020/21 report which can be found here: http://content.tfl.gov.uk/qpr-q2-2020-21.pdf This includes revenue figures for commercial media income on page 20.

Road charge (6)

Gareth Bacon: Given your announcement on 8 January 2021 that the mayoral precept is set to increase by £31.59 per year at band D, will you now rule out introducing a boundary charge?

The Mayor: The council tax proposals look to raise revenue for policing and transport. Of this, £15 a year, if the rise was implemented, would specifically secure ongoing vital free travel on Transport for London (TfL) services for young people and the 60+ Oyster card after Government sought to remove these concessions while negotiating TfL’s emergency funding settlement.
That proposal is to tackle a specific element of the funding settlement. More widely, I have called on the Government to allow London to keep the £500m a year that Londoners pay annually in Vehicle Excise Duty. Unless this happens, I will have to find other ways to raise this money. I have asked TfL to undertake a feasibility study into a potential Greater London Boundary Charge for non-residents. A small charge of this nature could have significant benefits in terms of managing congestion, reducing emissions and encouraging more use of sustainable modes of transport. Income from the charge would also be reinvested in the capital’s transport network.

Turnover and Retention of Custody Nurse Practitioners in the Met

Caroline Pidgeon: Please provide the turnover and retention statistics for the Met’s Custody Nurse Practitioners in each of the past five years? Please also provide the number of those who left in each year that had been in their role for less than one year.

The Mayor: The data for 2015, 2016 and 2017 is not readily accessible due to the change over in HR platforms between the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and Shared Services Connected Limited (SSCL).
However, data from January 2018 to December 2020 is kept internally by Met Detention and this is as follows:
2018
20 - New starters
10 - Overall resignations
2 - Resigned within their first year with the MPS
Retention rate of new starters was 18 out of 20 = 90%
2019
20 - New starters
4 – Overall resignations
2 – Resigned within their first year with the MPS
Retention rate of new starters was 18 out of 20 = 90%
2020
35 - New starters
6 – Overall Resignations
6 - Resigned within their first year with the MPS
Retention rate of new starters was 29 out of 35 = 83%

Use of canals as a public space during Covid-19

Nicky Gavron: Have you monitored the use of green-blue open space, such as canals, during the Covid-19 pandemic?

The Mayor: The GLA has not undertaken any specific monitoring of the use of green-blue open space, such as canals, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, we know some of the bodies responsible for managing green-blue open space, such as the Canals and Rivers Trust, have been using the monitoring data they collect to gain an understanding of how usage patterns have changed as a result of the ongoing pandemic.
In London they saw decreases in usage in some city centre locations as people switched away from commuting and towards working from home. Elsewhere they generally saw large increases in visitors to waterways throughout lockdown. Key motivations for visiting green-blue spaces were the convenience and appeal of local waterways relative to other options in the local area.

Body worn video footage Independent Office Police Conduct referrals

Unmesh Desai: How many Met police officers have been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct as a result of a body worn video footage review in each of the last four years?

The Mayor: Data on Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) referrals to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is not recorded in a way that allows the extraction of cases where Body Worn Video (BWV) is the reason for referral.
The reason for disciplinary action or an IOPC referral is not the BWV footage itself, but the behaviour that was captured, and this is what is recorded and therefore searchable on the system.
It is the MPS policy to review BWV (when available) in relation to every public complaint and allegation of misconduct.

Public Health England

David Kurten: In September 2020, you told the Assembly that you were seeking clarity from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on what the abolition of Public Health England, and creation of the National Institute for Health Protection, would mean for London. Have you received a response from Government to your concerns on this issue?

The Mayor: I have not received a response to the letter I sent to the Secretary of State in September.
Since writing to the Secretary of State in September I have also called upon the government to protect funding and functions for health improvement and tackling health inequalities as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review. However, the Government have yet to provide further clarity on this issue.
I continue to meet at least weekly with Public Health England’s Regional Director for London, ProfessorKevinFenton, and I will continue to work closely with our health and care partners through any structural changes.

Failure to provide turn up and go services

Andrew Boff: Further to your answer to my question 2020/0714, how many complaints have you had about TfL failing to provide turn up and go services?

The Mayor: Between December 2018 and November 2019, Transport for London (TfL) received 100 complaints related to failing to provide the Turn Up and Go service. Between December 2019 and November 2020, TfL received 32 complaints related to failing to provide the Turn Up and Go service.

Paddington Green

Murad Qureshi: Thank you for the letter of the 30th of October 2020 confirming the sale of the Police Station. Can you please confirm the sale price of Paddington Green Police Station and any conditions of sale?

The Mayor: The initial contractual purchase price was £35m as set out in the schedule of disposals published on the MOPAC website at https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/disposal_of_buildings_20-21_to_jul_20_mps_final.pdf
Please do note that sale terms may include provision for planning overage and/or sales overage which may result in payment to MOPAC in addition to the initial contractual purchase price shown above.
In addition, links to the published decisions on the disposal of Paddington Green Police Station are attached for your information. https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/mayors-office-policing-and-crime-mopac/governance-and-decision-making/mopac-decisions-0/disposal-paddington-green-police-station-section-house-and-hendon and https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/mayors-office-policing-and-crime-mopac/governance-and-decision-making/mopac-decisions-0/changes-heads-terms-pcd-697-disposal-paddington-police-st

Improving PM2.5 levels

Leonie Cooper: Whilst improvements to London’s PM2.5 levels have been made, what further work is being undertaken to improve levels of PM2.5 across London and what more can be done?

The Mayor: Since 2016 there has been a 15 per cent reduction in PM2.5 in London. However, I want to go much further that’s why in my 2017 London Environment Strategy I committed to achieve the WHO recommended guideline limit for PM2.5 by 2030. To do this I will need additional powers and resources which I have urgently requested from Government. The draft Environment bill only mandates that two air quality targets (including one for PM2.5) are set by October 2022 and the targets themselves may not need to be achieved for 15 years or more. Greater urgency and ambition are needed for the protection of human health. The Government must now learn the lessons from the coroner’s conclusion in the inquest into the death of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah and do much more to tackle the deadly scourge of air pollution in London and across the country.
Around a third of the PM2.5­ emitted in London comes from road transport, with a large proportion also coming from construction, wood burning and commercial cooking. The ULEZ expansion in October will help to reduce PM2.5 from transport sources. We have created a wood burning working group and are working with boroughs to reduce emissions from wood burning. We are also investigating ways to reduce emissions from commercial cooking.
Around half of PM2.5 measured in London’s air comes from transboundary sources outside of London, which is why the Government must take further action to improve air quality.

Child Houses (2)

Susan Hall: What evidence is there that this multi-agency approach i.e. the introduction of Child Houses, has gathered better evidence and increased the speed of delivery to court?

The Mayor: The Child House model is based on long established international best practice originating in Iceland as well as the Child Advocacy Centre model from North America. As a pilot, my Office for Policing And Crime is currently evaluating what impact the service has had in a UK setting and legal system. Two interim evaluations have been published to date in 2019 and 2020: https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/mayors-office-policing-and-crime-mopac/data-and-statistics/academic-research
A third report is due to be published within the next month, which includes an examination of the police officer liaison roles based within the service. The final evaluation report is scheduled for summer 2021. That will examine the time taken for cases to come to court, comparing The Lighthouse to a control group, and looking at the quality of evidence gathered as a result of the service model.

Slipway from Colney Hatch Lane to A406

Andrew Dismore: Residents report repeated incidents and near misses involving pedestrians using the crossings at the top of slip roads Atlas Way and Bobby Moore Way that join the A406 at the junction of Colney Hatch Lane. Vehicles often totally ignore the red lights whilst pedestrians are crossing on a green man.
Will you ask TfL to look into the safety of this junction and propose improvements to make pedestrians safer?

The Mayor: I remain committed to a Vision Zero approach to road danger. Officers from TfL and the London Borough of Barnet have previously carried out remedial works such as the removal of vegetation near the traffic signals on the slip roads to make the traffic signal heads more visible to drivers. I will ask TfL engineers to work with the borough and colleagues in the Metropolitan Police to investigate whether further measures can be identified to reduce road danger at this location.

Green Finance Initiative and Carbon Neutral by 2030 (1)

Leonie Cooper: In December you announced a partnership with the Green Finance Initiative in order to unlock private investment to make London carbon neutral by 2030. Please provide details of meetings with the Green Finance Initiative, including dates, times and points of discussion.

The Mayor: We started working with the Green Finance Institute (GFI) in September 2020. As approved by ADD2461 the GFI is exploring opportunities to accelerate the development of bankable environmental projects and maximise the flow of private capital into them, and will then set out how this could be achieved.
My officers have fortnightly meetings with the GFI project team and expect the Institute’s interim report and recommendations in February. Discussions have focussed on: assessing other international city initiatives to kick start private finance; local authority and private sector expectations; design and recommendation of funding and capital structures to maximise the impact of public funds; potential governance structures; and an implementation plan including a critical path to establishing new arrangements.

Government Commitment to London’s Air quality

Leonie Cooper: Was enough done during the previous mayoralty to prioritise improvements to London’s toxic air? How is the Government, now led by the previous Mayor, showing a commitment to improving London’s air quality?

The Mayor: Ministers and the previous Mayor have acted too slowly in the past to clean up London’s air. When I came into office King's College London estimated it would take 193 years to reach legal compliance. Air pollution is a public health crisis and one of social injustice, and this is unacceptable. The policies I have implemented mean that London will now be compliant with legal pollution limits by 2025.
Whilst the Government’s recent announcement that most combustion engine cars and vans will no longer be sold after 2030 is welcome, this does not reduce the need for further and faster action to improve air quality. They must now learn the lessons from the coroner’s conclusion in the inquest into the death of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah and do much more to tackle the deadly scourge of air pollution in London and across the country.
An important first step in increasing ambition would be for the new Environment Bill, which is currently progressing through Parliament, to include legally binding World Health Organization recommended pollutant limits to be achieved by 2030, with the new Office for Environmental Protection empowered to hold the Government to account. The draft bill only mandates that two air quality targets (including one for PM2.5) are set by October 2022 and the targets themselves may not need to be achieved for 15 years or more. Greater urgency and ambition are needed for the protection of human health.
To then achieve these targets, Government must give cities additional funding through a national £1.5 billion Clean Air Fund, as well as powers over non-transport sources of pollution like construction, the river, buildings and wood-burning. Crucially, London must be given access to its fair share of funding from national funding pots, which we are currently excluded from.

Finance Initiative and Carbon Neutral by 2030 (3)

Leonie Cooper: What do you anticipate the role of the GLA being in the unlocking of private investment in order to make London Carbon neutral by 2030?

The Mayor: To get to net zero carbon by 2030 we need to mobilise far greater levels of finance, especially from the private sector. Following the London Sustainable Development Commission’s (LSDC) report ‘Financing for a Future London’ in March 2020,I have appointed the Green Finance Institute (GFI) to assess the LSDC report’s recommendations, including one to create a ‘London Future Finance Facility (LFFF). I have asked the GFI to also explore other potential options on the role the GLA should play to accelerate the development of bankable projects and the subsequent flow of private sector capital. As per my response to MQ 0265, we started working with the Green Finance Institute (GFI) in September 2020 and my officers expect their interim report in February.

The Mayor: To get to net zero carbon by 2030 we need to mobilise far greater levels of finance, especially from the private sector. Following the London Sustainable Development Commission’s (LSDC) report ‘Financing for a Future London’ in March 2020,I have appointed the Green Finance Institute (GFI) to assess the LSDC report’s recommendations, including one to create a ‘London Future Finance Facility (LFFF). I have asked the GFI to also explore other potential options on the role the GLA should play to accelerate the development of bankable projects and the subsequent flow of private sector capital. As per my response to MQ 0265, we started working with the Green Finance Institute (GFI) in September 2020 and my officers expect their interim report in February.

Finance Initiative and Carbon Neutral by 2030 (2)

Leonie Cooper: How will the ‘pipeline of investable projects’ referred to by Dr Rhian-Mari Thomas, Chief Executive of the Green Finance Institute, be identified?

The Mayor: As stated in my response to 0265 we started working with the Green Finance Institute (GFI) in September 2020. My environment programmes are already developing a pipeline of investable projects by providing technical support to develop business cases. For example through my Retrofit and Local Energy Accelerators, London Community Energy Fund and the Mayor’s Energy Efficiency Fund. There is considerable work being undertaken by London Boroughs and London Councils too. As part of our Recovery programme, we have worked together to identify a pipeline of £1.1 billion of shovel-ready opportunities across London aligned to the Green New Deal.
However, to meet my net zero ambitions the scale of projects and the rate at which projects are developed must be accelerated. The GFI is exploring options to identify and support the pipeline of investable projects alongside assessing new financing mechanisms that can help catalyse investment into environment projects to maximise the flow of private capital. My officers expect their interim report and recommendations in February.

Adult Education Recovery Fund (1)

Leonie Cooper: When will skills providers be able to apply to the Adult Education Recovery Fund announced in December 2020?

The Mayor: Through the AEB Good Work for All Fund, I will award grants to providers for the delivery of GLA AEB-funded adult education and training services, to support the London Recovery Programme in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be open to all education and training providers with a delivery site located within London and its fringe authorities to apply. This important funding opportunity will be launched in February.

Support for parents and carers

Leonie Cooper: You have rightly called for a delayed opening to secondary schools across London to curb the spread of COVID-19. What support is the Greater London Authority providing to parents and carers who cannot work, or have difficulties in working from home because their children are at home?

The Mayor: Under the rules of Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, parents and carers can request that they are furloughed if they are unable to work due to caring responsibilities. While employers do not have to agree to this request, I have encouraged business stakeholders to consider flexible working measures. The majority of employers are doing the right thing, but I support Trade Unions and others in calling out the minority who aren’t.
My Employment Rights Hub has been updated with tailored advice. Social media advertisements for the hub have been boosted and targeted to help parents know and enforce their rights at work.
The GLA is supporting its staff through flexible working options and paid leave. Its new Carers’ and Dependency Leave Policy allows parents and carers up to 10 days paid leave to care for their dependants in an emergency per annual leave year.

Spending Review (3)

Len Duvall: What impact will the Government’s commitment to cover 75% of council tax and business rates income have on local authorities across London?

The Mayor: In December 2020 the Government confirmed it would compensate local authorities for 75% of irrecoverable losses in council tax and business rates income in respect of 2020-21.
Losses of council tax and business rates income in scope of the guarantee will be measured by comparing an authority’s council tax requirement for 2020-21 and estimated 2020-21 non-domestic rating income with outturn figures. These outturn figures will not be known until after March 2021, once the financial year has ended and depend on the end-of-year accounts processes undertaken by the 33 billing authorities. As such, it is not yet possible to accurately estimate the impact on local authorities across London.
The Government has stated it expects to be in a position to make section 31 grant payments directly to billing and major precepting authorities by January 2022, covering 75% of losses identified using the methodology outlined above.

Adult Education Recovery Fund (3)

Leonie Cooper: How will you be publicising the Adult Education Recovery Fund?

The Mayor: As I launch the AEB Good Work for All Fund I am committed to ensuring that all of London’s education and training providers are aware of this new funding opportunity and have the chance to apply for funding. Information on how to apply will be shared via provider mailing lists and other online communication channels. GLA officers will be engaging directly with sector representative organisations and market warming events will be held during the application period.

EU deal and security

Andrew Dismore: Now that there is a deal with the EU, what are the policing and security implications; and do you consider London to be safer or less safe as a result?

The Mayor: The UK has forfeited the use of the European Arrest Warrant, the Schengen Information System and its membership of Europol and Eurojust, making it harder to keep track of terrorists, serious organised criminal networks and criminals. Instead, the UK have become a ‘third party’ partner with Europol and Eurojust, similar to the arrangement with the United States. The police are now using alternative arrangements; however, they are not like for like replacements of EU tools and powers. These replacements, in most cases are slower, less efficient and present a drop off in capability for tackling cross-border criminality.
The loss of the Schengen Information System will have a ‘major operational impact’ according to the NPCC. This database was aligned to European systems, and whilst the police are prepared to use Interpol in its place, this requires a more manual and slower process, with forces circulating far fewer persons and objects of interest.

Pay it Forward Scheme Businesses

Shaun Bailey: How many businesses have benefitted from the Pay it Forward scheme to date?

The Mayor: As of 18 January 2021, 461 businesses have benefitted from Pay it Forward London.

European Londoners Hub Future Spending

Susan Hall: How much money has been allocated to the European Londoners Hub for future years?

The Mayor: We currently have two active suppliers developing and updating the European Londoners Hub. £23,664 to develop and maintain the content of the Hub between November 2020 – June 2021 and £19,700 to translate key guidance and information into community languages between December 2020 – June 2021. We also have up to £35,000 for video production allocated up until April 2021.
The Hub continues to be a vital source of information for European Londoners and their family members as we approach the EU Settlement Scheme application deadline 30 June 2021. The Hub will also be important to EU citizens moving to the UK post-Brexit, who will now be subject to the government’s new immigration system.
Budget for future financial years is still under consideration as part of the overall GLA budget process.

Road charge (1)

Gareth Bacon: Please publish your impact assessment on outer London boroughs, including Bexley and Bromley, on your proposed £3.50 road charge. Please specifically address the impact on local businesses and low income Londoners.

The Mayor: I have asked Transport for London (TfL) to undertake a feasibility study into a potential Greater London Boundary Charge for non-residents. As part of this, TfL will undertake an initial assessment of the impact of options on traffic, environment, health, equality and the economy, including local businesses. The full findings of the study are expected later in the year.

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods

Tony Arbour: Could the Mayor provide the current nitrogen dioxide levels of streets within and adjacent to all Low Traffic Neighbourhoods schemes that were agreed as part of the Streetspace programme?

The Mayor: Streetspace for London was implemented as part of the emergency response to the Coronavirus pandemic. Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) are a key part of Streetspace for London and will help encourage Londoners to switch car trips for walking, cycling and public transport where possible.
Due to the lack of time to collect baseline data and the costs and limitations of installing monitors, the boroughs are not required to measure nitrogen dioxide levels at all streets within and adjacent to all LTN schemes. A number of boroughs, including Hackney, Lewisham and Newham have published reports including measurements from some streets within and adjacent to LTN schemes. These early findings show that LTNs and School Streets are encouraging behaviour change, with people reporting that they have been walking and cycling more and using their cars less.
I am committed to working together with the London boroughs and my team at Transport for London are monitoring and evaluating theimpacts of the Streetspace for London programme, including the impacts of LTNs and changes in air quality over time. Some early impacts of the programme are set out in Travel In London 13 http://content.tfl.gov.uk/travel-in-london-report-13.pdf.

Bus Stop CL on the Finchley Road

Andrew Dismore: The West Hampstead Amenity and Transport group, WHAT, have been in correspondence with TfL regarding the coach stop CL on Finchley Road - the stop that serves Finchley Road Station for passengers travelling North to the airports. They consider this stop to be inappropriately located because of the width of the pavement at that point making it dangerous for both coach passengers and pedestrians using that stretch of footway regularly. More recently the stop has been closed and coaches are temporarily using the stop outside Waitrose, stop FK. They regard this as a far more satisfactory arrangement and are grateful that TFL have relocated the coaches to this more appropriate place. However, TfL will not give a guarantee that this will be permanent but say that when the proposed road rearrangement is finalised stop CL will be brought back into use. Will you reconsider this decision and retain the use of stop FK for permanent for coach use? Further, can stop CL be covered so that it is obvious it is not in use?

The Mayor: The temporary relocation of this coach stop has only been made possible by reduced coach services as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately, Transport for London cannot commit to keeping the stop in this temporary location once coach services recover to their pre-pandemic levels: at pre-pandemic service levels, the number of coaches that would require the stop would introduce a significant conflict with buses and would likely affect the interchange provided between bus services and Finchley Road station. TfL will therefore keep the current arrangement under review.
Signage at the former stop is directing coach customers to the relocated stop. In addition, a hood will be placed on top to indicate that it is out of use. This work will be fitted in around the need to prioritise safety critical works across at London at night – as this is the only time such change can be done safely and in line with coronavirus-safe practices.

TfL Income - Covid-19

Shaun Bailey: What is your current estimate for how much money Transport for London has lost in fare revenue due to Covid-19?

The Mayor: Transport for London estimates that fares revenue is cumulatively around £2.4bn lower in 2020 than it would have been pre the Covid-19 pandemic. This is partly reflected in the 2019/2020 financial results (circa £200m), with the remainder impacting financial year 2020/2021 as reported at the end of period 9.

Suspects identified using Schengen Information System II

Unmesh Desai: On how many occasions has the Met identified a suspect for the following types of offences through the use of the Schengen Information System, in each of the last 4 years: Homicide, Rape, Burglary, Assault?

The Mayor: This information is held by the NCA.

Public health debate – vitamin D

Len Duvall: Is now the time to begin a public debate in London on the importance of vitamin D recognising along with other actions, how it can play a part in boosting the human body immune system?

The Mayor: While there is currently not enough evidence to support taking vitamin D to prevent or treat COVID-19, we do know that vitamin D is important in supporting a healthy immune system and that many Londoners struggle to meet their vitamin D requirements. Public Health England and NICE recommend that everyone in the UK should be taking a vitamin D supplement in the winter months to ensure their needs are met and to protect their health. Families that qualify for healthy start voucher scheme can access these supplements free of cost. The NHS, local authorities and Public Health England have a range of services to tackle conditions that stem from vitamin deficiency and poor nutrition.

Economic recovery – allied issues

Len Duvall: What practical steps can be taken here in London to tackle and minimise child poverty?

The Mayor: I am deeply concerned about the effect of the pandemic on low-income families in London and have committed to doing everything in my power to help address child poverty.
Helping low-income families access advice and support to prevent financial hardship is a key aspect of the London Recovery Programme. Details of the Robust Safety Net mission can be found here - https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/recovery_programme_overview.pdf.
To tackle the immediate impacts of the pandemic, I have pledged nearly £10m to the London Community Response Fund for civil society organisations giving food and financial advice to struggling families. My officers are bringing together boroughs to form joint plans to tackle food insecurity, and I am sharing advice for low-income Londoners on benefits, crisis loans, debt advice and employment rights through London.gov.uk, which over 35,000 Londoners have viewed so far.
However, the true levers to address child poverty lie in the hands of the Government and further action is needed. I have continually called for the £20 per week uplift to Universal Credit to be made permanent and extended to all benefits; for the removal of the five-week wait for UC; and for increases to child benefit. Ministers should also remove No Recourse to Public Funds conditions to give all families immediate access to financial support, and scrap the two-child limit and benefit cap.

GLA Funding For London & Partners Commitment

Susan Hall: Will you commit to ensuring the GLA’s share of London and Partners’ funding does not exceed 50% of their total funding even if income from other sources decreases?

The Mayor: At a time of incredible financial challenge, London & Partners’ (L&P) have yet to see how their income from other sources will be affected by the economic impacts of the pandemic.
I am committed to ensuring L&P are resourced to help protect jobs and support growth in our city as part of London’s recovery. They have a crucial role to play in the economic recovery of our city when the virus is supressed. I have had to make some tough budget decisions and my draft budget proposal includes a proposed grant of £11.1m for L&P for 2021-22 which is a 15% reduction from 2020-21. The proposed reduction is part of a wider package of necessary savings.

Air Quality outside Morden Station

Leonie Cooper: Could you give the latest figures in terms of NOx and particulate matter outside Morden Station, comparing January 2017 with January 2020?

The Mayor: There is one continuous air pollution monitoring station near Morden Station, which is part of the London Air Quality Network (LAQN). This monitoring station is called Morden Civic Centre 2 - ME9. It is a roadside site measuring NOx and NO2 only (no particulate matter monitored).
The station was installed at the end of September 2017 so there is no record for these pollutants before that date. A comparison of January 2018 against January 2020 is provided below.
Comparing the annual NO2 concentrations for these years, the average in 2018 at the site was 48µg/m3 compared to 38µg/m3 in 2020. This is a reduction of 10µg/m3, a reduction of 21%.
Caution should be observed when comparing monthly averages due to fluctuations in weather or other temporary events that may influence results, which is why limit values and trend analysis are typically based on annual averages rather than monthly averages.

Tier 4 support

Leonie Cooper: What additional support was provided to London’s businesses after the announcement of Tier 4 restrictions by a) the Government, and b) the Greater London Authority?

The Mayor: Following the move to Tier 4 restrictions on 19 December, the Government announced new support for the UK worth £4.6bn, including one-off top up grants for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses.
The formula to calculate the allocation is:
A further £594 million discretionary fund was also made available to Local Authorities to support other impacted businesses; however, Government again utilised a formula that significantly disadvantages businesses in areas of London such as Westminster and City of London.
My London Business Hub continues to support businesses facing uncertainty though programmes like my Property Advice Service, EU Transition Support, and Investment Readiness Programme. Over £1.1m in London Business Hub’s Recovery Grants has been awarded and are in the process of being paid out to successful applicants.
I continue to lobby Government for additional support, including an extension of the VAT relief scheme, extension of the business rates relief scheme, further expansion of the grants programme and distribution to local authorities based on number of businesses not residents.

Boundary Charge

Shaun Bailey: What is the latest with the £3.50 boundary charge for non-London residents? And by when do you expect to make a final decision?

The Mayor: I have asked Transport for London (TfL) to undertake a feasibility study into a potential Greater London Boundary Charge for non-residents. As part of this, TfL will undertake an assessment of the impact of options on traffic, environment, health, equality and the economy. The full findings of the study are expected later in the year.
Once the feasibility study has been completed, I will consider its findings and then make a decision on whether to proceed to take the proposals forward for further development.
Any proposals to introduce a new charge would be subject to full public consultation.

London & Partners Independent Funding Target

Susan Hall: When do you aim to stop the GLA funding to London & Partners so they can be fully independently funded?

The Mayor: London & Partners (L&P) was set up as a not-for-profit public private partnership to promote London internationally as the best place to invest, visit and study and grow.
Its public partnership structure means that L&P will continue to receive grant funding from the GLA whilst also securing private sector funding from commercial activities to re-invest into the promotion of London as well as supporting London’s economic recovery during and after the pandemic.

Fatal Stabbings in 2020

Caroline Pidgeon: Please provide a table showing the number of people fatally stabbed in London in 2020, broken down by age.

The Mayor: The data requested is published by the MPS through its homicide dashboard. The dashboard is updated on a quarterly basis.
This shows that between January and September 2020 there were 53 victims of homicide by knife or sharp instrument.
Apparent Age of victim
Number of Records
0 to 12
4
13 to 19
9
20 to 24
9
25 to 34
10
35 to 44
10
45 to 54
4
55 to 64
4
65 and over
3
https://www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/met/homicide-dashboard/

ICU capacity

Onkar Sahota: In an ICU, the critical care nurse to patient ratio should be 1:1. During the first wave, at its peak, the ratio reached 1:6. The focus and concern should not be about the number of ICU beds available, but instead about the number of trained critical care staff to care for those in ICU. Are you concerned about the pressures on London’s nurses and other NHS staff?

The Mayor: The COVID pandemiccontinues to put London’s NHS underunprecedentedpressure in terms of both bed numbers and staffing.Nurses and all thehealth and carestaff work tirelessly totreat and care for Londoners and having the right staffing is crucial to London’s COVID response.  Lessons have been learned since the first wave and London’s health and care system ismuch better preparedas infection rates increase again, but the high number of cases is being felt by hospitals and all those who work in them. I remain very concerned about the amount of pressure that the NHS and its staff are under and this is one of the reasons I declared a critical incident on 8 January. The single most important thing we can to support the NHS and it’s hardworking staff is to follow the lockdown rules to bring cases down. I am asking every Londoner, please stay at home unless it is absolutely necessary for you to leave. Stay at home to protect yourself, your family, friends and other Londoners and to protect our NHS.

Government intervention on EWS1s (1)

Andrew Dismore: The Government recently announced measures to address the EWS1 crisis1. Does the rush to train 2000 assessors in 6 months- compared to the standard 4-5 years RICS have stated is necessary for training- risk leaving EWS1 forms being completed by inexperienced and undertrained assessors?

1‘Government steps in to help homeowners caught up in ‘EWS1’ process’ [Date accessed 24.11.20]

The Mayor: It is vital that steps are taken to train new assessors. According to RICS, the training programme is designed for chartered building and building control surveyors who already have a base knowledge to undertake external wall system assessments for low-to-medium risk residential buildings. The Government must also work with the insurance industry to ensure there are clear standards of professional competence to build confidence in providing appropriate professional indemnity cover for those who complete this training programme and work on external wall systems.
As you know, the prolonged absence of a comprehensive national solution is taking an incredibly heavy toll on many thousands of Londoners – both financially and in terms of their wellbeing. That is why I wrote to the Secretary of State in September regarding EWS1, in September, setting out five urgent steps he must take to solve this for both leaseholders and the housing market. I am still yet to receive a response and I will keep pressing for a properly integrated package of measures that fixes this once and for all.

Mayor’s Transport Strategy commitment to making 80 per cent of all trips in London to be made on foot, by cycle or using public transport by 2041 (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: What is the current proportion of all trips in London made on foot, by cycle or using public transport?

The Mayor: The Travel in London report 13 contains Transport for London’s latest estimates of the proportion of trips made by walking, cycling and public transport. The report gives consolidated estimates for the 2019 calendar year (pages 52-58) as well as indicative quarterly estimates for 2020 (calendar quarters 1-3, pages 185-187) as part of the assessment of the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on travel in London.
Table 7.6, attached, summarises these estimates.

Skilling Londoners up for the green economy

Leonie Cooper: How will the Green New Deal up-skill Londoners in order to exploit the job opportunities in a low carbon circular economy?

The Mayor: My Green New Deal (GND) programme has been developed specifically to help deliver a green and fair recovery. The GND will help to ensure that London’s recovery from the pandemic will lead to a cleaner, fairer, more equal city with a renewed drive to tackle the climate emergency, whilst also creating good quality jobs.
A green recovery will not only drive action to make London fairer, but it will also help strengthen our existing economy and jobs. In 2019/20 London’s low carbon and environmental goods and services sector was worth around £48 billion and employed around 315,000 people across the sector. £48 billion in sales and employed around 315,000 people
My GND Fund has provided funding for two projects - Better Futures and Advance London (awarded £900K each). Both of these programmes aim to support the growth of London-based SMEs who produce technologies, goods and services that reduce negative impacts on our environment. The money will help expand their programmes of business support and to increase access to more diverse communities through their grants and internship programmes. It will also support the development of a digital platform to increase access to market, an SME accelerator programme and bespoke support to SMEs hit by the impacts of the pandemic.
As part of London’s wider recovery programme, it will link with the Helping Londoners into Good Work Mission to develop a green skills academy. This will develop a high-quality training offer to help build London’s skills base to meet the growing demand for green jobs. I will also be launching an Adult Education Budget (AEB) recovery fund in February to support training in London’s key growth sectors, including low carbon.
Recognising that achieving a net-carbon zero economy by 2030 will require an influx of new skills, jobs and training opportunities, we are undertaking a research project involving employers, borough councils and training providers to understand where and how the GLA can best support London’s green industries.

Improving London’s toxic air (1)

Leonie Cooper: On what day in each year of the last decade, 2010-2020, did Putney High Street breach air quality legal limits?

The Mayor: The data requested is included in the attached table. From 2010 to 2017 the monitoring site at Putney High Street breached the hourly threshold for nitrogen dioxide in January. In 2018 it exceeded later in the year in March, and in 2019 and 2020 it did not exceed at all. This improvement was made possible by the completion of the Low Emission Bus Zone on Putney High Street in October 2017, and implementation of other policies Londonwide to tackle air pollution. The table also includes the number of hourly exceedances recorded each year, which reduced from 1,272 in 2016 to just 11 in 2019 (before the coronavirus pandemic). This is a reduction of 99 per cent.
More information about the improvement in London’s air quality between 2016 and 2019 is available: https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/environment/pollution-and-air-quality/air-quality-london-2016-2020

SMEs and Green New Deal funding

Leonie Cooper: How much support is the Green New Deal funding offering to London’s SMEs?

The Mayor: The first tranche of my Green New Deal funding is providing a total of £1.8m to support SMEs through two GLA projects: Better Futures and Advance London.
The projects aim to work with and support the growth of London-based businesses who produce technologies, goods and services that reduce negative impacts on our environment. Each project has been awarded £900,000 from the Green New Deal fund to help expand their programme of business support and increase their engagement with and support for more diverse communities through their respective programmes.

Funding solar energy panels for Londoners

Leonie Cooper: Currently the cost of installing solar PV panels is often prohibitive, with many people struggling to make back initial costs over the lifetime of their panels. How will the Green new Deal funding address this, encouraging Londoners to move to renewable energy sources?

The Mayor: The first year of my Green New Deal Fund provides £420,000 for the fourth round of my successful Solar Together London (STL) project. STL uses a collective purchasing approach to support domestic rooftop solar. STL has reduced costs by up to a third for participants, driven higher quality installations and maximised the likelihood of purchase and installation (compared to individuals buying separately). Previous phases have enabled around 1,000 PV systems since 2016 on homes and secured over £3m of investment from London residents.
The fourth phase of my London Community Energy Fund provides up to £500,000 capital funding to help deliver renewables. This support helps counter the impact that the removal of Government funds and support schemes, such as the ending of Feed in Tariffs (FiTs), has had on Community Energy groups.
Further details of expenditure in the first year of my Green New Deal Fund can be found in MD2708. We are assessing how the Green New Deal can continue to support these programmes going forward.

Green New Deal Funding and energy efficient homes (1)

Leonie Cooper: How many cold and damp homes will the green new deal funding help to become more energy efficient and warmer?

The Mayor: The Green New Deal Mission supports London’s recovery and will tackle the climate and ecological emergencies and improve air quality whilst doubling the size of London's green economy by 2030 and accelerating job creation for all..
As part of the work under this mission GLA and London Boroughs have already secured £11.54 million this financial year for London through the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery Scheme.
More broadly, though my existing energy efficiency programmes, my Warmer Homes Advice Service has assisted 7,541 households and Warmer Homes has improved the energy efficiency of 1,406 homes to date. GLA is working with London Boroughs and Housing Associations to secure more investment into reducing fuel poverty and making London’s housing more energy efficient which should help an additional 1000 homes.

Green New Deal Funding and energy efficient homes (2)

Leonie Cooper: What criteria will be applied to ensure that funding to improve the energy efficiency of cold damp homes will reach those most in need?

The Mayor: Applicants for my Warmer Homes programme will continue to be deemed eligible based on one of two routes: being in receipt of means-tested or disability benefits; or through being declared as eligible through my Energy Company Obligation Flexible Eligibility scheme. This permits local authorities to assess and declare households eligible according to local income and vulnerability criteria and we have common criteria for all of London to take into account higher housing costs and our health priorities. The original Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery scheme had tighter criteria, but I successfully lobbied for these to be broadened to include more low income households. My Warmer Homes Advice Service also works with several hundred referral agencies across London to ensure that those living in cold, damp homes are reached.

Green New Deal Funding and Green Spaces (1)

Leonie Cooper: How do you intend to use the funding for the Green New Deal announced in November to improve Londoners’ access to green spaces?

The Mayor: The package announced in November will tackle some of London’s defining environmental challenges, including the climate and ecological emergency. It aligns with the London Recovery Board’s Green New Deal mission priorities including enhancing Londoners’ access to green space.
£3m has been allocated to a ‘Future Neighbourhoods’ programme to support exemplar, transformative area-based projects across a range of environmental priorities. This includes enhancing existing green spaces, greening the public realm and improving access to green space in areas where there is currently limited access. Support will focus on communities most impacted by coronavirus as well as those with the highest levels of deprivation and climate vulnerability.
It complements funding awarded in 2020 including 34 community-led projects being delivered by civic society organisations. Over 90% are in areas of deprivation and over 80% in areas where less than half of households have good access to open space. 84 hectares of new publicly accessible woodland is also being created in London’s Green Belt.

Green New Deal Funding and Green Spaces (2)

Leonie Cooper: Will the Green New Deal funding provide for the creation of new green spaces in London; if not how is it anticipated to improve access to green spaces for those currently with limited access?

The Mayor: The Green New Deal ‘Future Neighbourhoods’ programme will build on the success of my Greener City Fund, helping increase green cover in the public realm, particularly where access to green space is limited.
Creating new parks in more densely developed areas is unlikely to be possible. Where access is limited, projects will be supported that green the public realm through; tree planting, constructing rain gardens, green roofs and walls; reallocating street space; improving walking and cycling including connections between green spaces.
My London Plan compliments this, requiring development to provide adequate open space and incorporate greening. Guidance on implementing the Plan will be published once it is adopted.
My recently awarded Grow Back Greener grants also address this issue. Over 90% of projects supported are in areas of deprivation and over 80% in areas where less than half of households have good access to open space. 84 hectares of new publicly accessible woodland is also being created in the Green Belt.

Bus and Tube Fares

Navin Shah: Bus and tube fares have been the lowest in London over the last 20 years. However, due to Government conditions the fares will be going up from March 2021. What impact there will be from the fares increase? Will this deter people from using public transport and have a detrimental impact on London’s environment?

The Mayor: On 1 March 2021 Transport for London (TfL) fares will increase by 2.6 per cent overall as a result of the conditions attached by the Government to TfL’s most recent funding settlement. Within this overall rise, I have managed to keep some fares frozen – including some single pay as you go Tube, DLR, London Overground and TfL rail fares – which will help to encourage people back into central London, when the time is right, and aid the capital’s recovery. I have sought to minimise the impact where possible, for example with bus fares only increasing by 5p – the minimum amount they can – and the Hopper staying in place for free transfers on bus and trams within an hour. I have also protected concessions, including the 60+ Oyster Card and under 18 concessions which Government had wanted to remove, to ensure that everyone can benefit when the city begins to recover from the pandemic.

Extra measures

Onkar Sahota: On 11 December you announced that following a meeting between yourself and London Council’s Group Leaders, extra measures to support Londoners would be introduced such as a) More community testing, supported by 10 extra mobile testing units plus 40 permanent and 35 mobile lateral flow test centres and b) Enhancing local contact tracing. Can you provide an update on whether “a” has been delivered and how you are improving “b”?

The Mayor: There are 67 Local Testing Sites (delivering PCR tests) across London and plans for a further seven to be added in the next two weeks, bringing the total to 74. London has 17 Mobile Testing Units (PCR) and currently a further eight Mobile Testing Units provided from national surge capacity.
Asymptomatic Testing Sites using lateral flow devices are operational in 29 boroughs with plans in place for all boroughs to be operational imminently, together providing 73 delivery sites in London. Asymptomatic testing was originally planned for a six-week period but will continue for longer. It will be tailored by local authorities to meet local needs and national guidelines that prioritise those people who cannot work from home and who are not currently part of a nationally-led, occupational asymptomatic testing programme.
All boroughs are delivering local contact-tracing, engaging people who have not responded to contact from the national scheme. I have provided support to the regional co-ordinated campaign Keep London Safe with translated materials and social media activity to raise awareness of testing and tracing.

Vaccine uptake

Onkar Sahota: Are you receiving regular updates on the take up of the coronavirus vaccine across London?

The Mayor: COVID-19 Vaccinations data is now published weekly (from 14th January) and includes data on under and over 80 years old and by region.
All data has been collected through the National Immunisation Management Service from Hospital Hubs and Local Vaccination Service sites (e.g. GP practices). The daily England-wide data also contain vaccinations administered in Vaccination Centres (the Excel).
Monitoring uptake of the vaccination programme in all communities is essential to prevent widening of health inequalities caused by low uptake in particular groups. Transparency in the uptake of the vaccine is a key part of ensuring those who will gain the greatest benefit can access it. Therefore, I have recently asked the Vaccines’ Minister to provide a more detailed demographic breakdown, to include factors such as age, small area geography, ethnic group and gender, as well as setting (e.g. care home) and when we reach phase two, breakdown by occupational group.

Abolition of PHE

Onkar Sahota: In September you told the Assembly that you were seeking clarity from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on what the abolition of Public Health England, and creation of the National Institute for Health Protection, would mean for London. Do you now have clarity on this issue? If not, given that these changes are scheduled to take place in the Spring this year, what more will you be doing to ensure that you are involved in conversations on this matter so that vital work on health improvement in London can continue?

The Mayor: I have not received a response to the letter I sent to the Secretary of State in September.
Since writing to the Secretary of State in September I have also called upon the Government to protect funding and functions for health improvement and tackling health inequalities as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review and sought clarity on funding for, and the future home of, my statutory health advisor role which currently sits in PHE’s regional London team. However, the Government have yet to provide further clarity on this issue.
I continue to meet at least weekly with Public Health England’s (PHE) Regional Director for London, ProfessorKevinFenton, and I will continue to work closely with our health and care partners through any structural changes.

Rerouting Buses No 414 & impact on No 6 - social distancing impact

Murad Qureshi: Sorry, but you have not answered the question: 2020/4528, regarding the impact of social distancing on the rerouting of bus No.414 from Marble Arch onwards to the No.6 route. Can it deal with the increasing numbers given constraints of social distancing practices on public transport during and possibly after the coronavirus pandemic?

The Mayor: Transport for London will not implement the proposed change until it is sufficiently sure that adequate social distancing will be possible on the remaining routes along the corridor. This will not be until at least summer 2021, when route 414 is retendered.
TfL is, however, confident that adequate social distancing will be possible. Prior to the pandemic, average loading was only 13 prior to the pandemic (or nine between Marble Arch-Maida Vale).And currently it is just seven customers per double deck bus (or even lower at five customers between Marble Arch and Maida Vale).

Oyster/Contactless Usage

Shaun Bailey: What percentage of commuters use travelcards/oyster cards and bank cards to travel on bus and tube?

The Mayor: The accompanying table shows the split of weekday journeys on Bus and Tube for all passenger and ticket types. Two 4-Week periods are shown: the latest available and the last pre-coronavirus impacted period.

Mayor’s Transport Strategy commitment to making 80 per cent of all trips in London to be made on foot, by cycle or using public transport by 2041 (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: Is the definition of measuring trips in London including trips by scooters?

The Mayor: My Transport Strategy states, on page 20, “Throughout this strategy document, the term ‘walking and cycling’ is used for a range of end-to-end fully active modes of travel. Most of these are walked or cycled, but the term is used to include trips made by wheelchair and also by scooter, rollerblades and similar forms of active mobility. The term ‘cycling’ refers to all forms of cycling including trips made using tricycles, hand-cycles and other adapted cycles, and e-bikes.”

Pan-London Restorative Justice programme

Susan Hall: For each year since the launch of the Pan-London Restorative Justice programme announced in August 2016, how many:

• Victims were referred to Restorative Justice

• Victims took up the offer of Restorative Justice

• Victims got a successful Restorative Justice outcome

• Declined the offer of Restorative Justice

• Face-to-face meetings have there been between victims and offenders?

The Mayor: The Pan-London Restorative Justice (RJ) Service commenced on 1 April 2017 and was delivered by the Restore:London Consortium. Some of the data requested is only available for the lifetime of the Restore:London service rather than on a yearly basis. Since 1 April 2019, RJ services have been provided as part of the London Victim and Witness Service (LVWS). The numbers requested are listed below.
2017 to 2019
Restore:London
2019/20
LVWS
Referrals
991
97
Victims who took up the offer of RJ
244
74
Successful RJ outcomes
See context below
28
Victims who declined the offer of RJ
385
2
Face to face meetings between victims and offenders
10
3
There is some important context to these data. 85% of referrals in 2017/18 and 2018/19 were generated by a Direct Referral Pathway which comprised fully vetted Restore:London staff having access to MPS systems and actively mining victim data for suitable cases. Only 15% of referrals came from the MPS, Victim Support or other agencies. Following the MPS review of access to police data, RJ facilitators in the LVWS do not have access to MPS databases. All referrals to the LVWS RJ service therefore are received directly from the MPS, Victim Support, the National Probation Service and other agencies. As required by the Victim’s Code of Practice, the police make victims aware that Restorative Justice Services are available to them; however, the consent of the victim is needed to make a referral.
Of the 97 referrals received by the Pan-London RJ service in 2019/20, 21 were uncontactable.
The measure of whether victims considered they received a successful outcome in the Restore:London model was through survey returns submitted post-service. In the years 2017 to 2019, of those who submitted survey returns, 100% were either satisfied or very satisfied with the service they received, 100% were either satisfied or very satisfied with the outcome, and 87% would recommend taking part in Restorative Justice to other victims.
It’s important to understand that RJ conferences – or face to face meetings between victim and offender - are only one stage in an RJ process. The other stages include in-depth restorative conversations and shuttled communications between the victim and offender. At any stage in this process the victim can decide that their needs have been met, that they would like to move to another stage, or to go no further. The vast majority of victims who take up the offer of RJ are content with outcomes that don’t result in a RJ conference. Those who do undertake an RJ conference may well have been engaging with the RJ service for many months, or even years, before that stage is reached. One further planned RJ conference was deferred due to the lockdown in Spring.

Congestion Charge PCNs

Susan Hall: Since May 2019 a number of Penalty Charge Notices were issued by TfL because a problem in the TfL system meant that, although congestion charge payments were confirmed on the TfL system to drivers, they were never actually claimed from their banks by TfL resulting in the unjust issuing of PCNs. I understand that steps have been taken to remedy this, however, can you:

- please confirm that in all cases drivers who incur these penalties are now being identified before penalties are issued? If not, why not?
- confirm that drivers in these cases have been notified of the above?
- confirm that suitable apologies have been made to all concerned?
- detail whether enforcement action been taken against any drivers affected by this problem?
- confirm whether you personally apologise to all the drivers affected and distressed by this problem?
- confirm that the action taken to remedy this problem will prevent this happening in the future?

The Mayor: I was very sorry to hear that some customers have experienced issues when attempting to make Congestion Charge payments through the Transport for London (TfL) website.
In 2020, more than 3 million Congestion Charge payments were successfully processed through the TfL website. However, in a very small number of cases, the web payments attempted by customers have failed to reach TfL. In total this has occurred 15 times in 2020. In all these cases, the Penalty Charge Notice issued to the customer has been cancelled and TfL has apologised to the customer.
TfL continues to investigate this issue and is carrying out a detailed analysis of why this issue occasionally occurs. It has also implemented additional checks to minimise the risk of the problem recurring. In the event that a customer does incorrectly receive a PCN, they can provide evidence of the payment to TfL through the representations process and the PCN will be cancelled.

TfL Debt - 2020

Shaun Bailey: Please provide a month by month breakdown of TfL debt since January 2020 to date?

The Mayor: The accompanying table shows the amount of nominal borrowing outstanding at each of Transport for London’s period ends since January 2020.

Cashless Payments on Stations

Navin Shah: I note that London TravelWatch has written to the TfL Commissioner and approached Assembly Members expressing concern about plans to stop taking cash across all London Underground, DLR and London Overground station ticket offices and machines in the new year. My constituents too have raised similar concerns as reported in the survey conducted by TravelWatch. Any chance of a rethink on this matter?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has engaged with London TravelWatch and a number of other organisations to better understand the potential impact going cashless might have on customers. In response to the feedback received to date, TfL has decided not to proceed with any further changes at this present time. It will keep under review what the appropriate payment options should be on the TfL network, and will continue to engage with stakeholders, including London TravelWatch, on any future changes.

Road charge (5)

Gareth Bacon: How much would the £3.50 road charge cost to administrate per year?

The Mayor: I have asked Transport for London to undertake a feasibility study into a potential Greater London Boundary Charge for non-residents. The study will consider implementation and operating costs. This will be informed by extensive experience and lessons learned from the delivery and running of current charging schemes including the central London Congestion Charge, Low Emission Zone, Ultra Low Emission Zone and the planned expansion of the latter.

Ambulance Call-outs to Police Stations

Caroline Pidgeon: How many ambulances have been called to Met custody suites between 2016-2019? Please break this down by year.

The Mayor: Please see attached the requested data for the period specified.

Further Conditions on Affordable Housing Programmes 2021-26

Caroline Pidgeon: Given you have stated that baseline conditions for the Affordable Housing Programme (AHP) 2021-26 were set in November, can you confirm if you will be putting in place any further conditions, in addition to the baseline ones, for Strategic Partners and Approved Providers once funding allocations are announced, as happened in the last AHP (2016-20)?

The Mayor: My new £4 billion Affordable Homes Programme 2021-2026 sets out a number of new conditions and requirements that apply to all investment partners, which aim to increase the quality, safety, design and sustainability of new affordable housing in London. Funding agreement templates will be published shortly and will reflect these requirements. My Deputy Mayor Tom Copley wrote to partners on 22 January 2021 to outline an expectation that shared ownership homes built through the programme are offered 999-year leases where it is possible to do so (for example due to the basis of land ownership). There are no current plans to introduce further conditions on investment partners at this stage, however it is possible that changes may be required in the future – for example, to implement new requirements imposed by central Government.

Borough Streetspace schemes funded by Transport for London (3)

Caroline Russell: I understand that a small number of borough schemes funded under your Streetspace programme have been removed. Could you confirm which schemes have been, or are being, removed, and how you are engaging with boroughs to either reclaim the money allocated or get it used to provide alternative schemes to enable safe walking and cycling?

The Mayor: At the time of writing, a total of eight Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) and one Cycling scheme funded via the London Streetspace Programme (LSP) have been installed and subsequently removed – six LTNs in Wandsworth, two LTNs in Redbridge and one Cycling scheme in The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Wandsworth and Redbridge were paid for their costs incurred in developing their schemes, albeit less than originally offered due to curtailed works. Any of their remaining allocated funding has been returned to the central LSP fund, and subsequently reallocated for the delivery of other schemes from Transport for London’s prioritised list of active travel schemes.

Road charge (4)

Gareth Bacon: What engagement did you undertake with borough leaders in the development of your proposals to introduce a £3.50 road charge?

The Mayor: I have asked Transport for London (TfL) to undertake a feasibility study into a potential Greater London Boundary Charge for non-residents. As part of this, TfL will undertake an assessment of the impact of options on traffic, environment, health, equality and the economy. The full findings of the study are expected later in the year.
Once the feasibility study has been completed, further consideration will be given to its findings, including in discussion with borough councillors and officers.
Any proposals to introduce a new charge would be subject to full public consultation.

Government investment for Epsom and St Helier hospitals

Steve O'Connell: What are you doing to support the £500m Government investment for Epsom and St Helier hospital?

The Mayor: Epsom and St Helier Hospitals have provided valuable services to their local communities for decades, but are in need of considerable investment. I am very pleased to see the Government’s commitment to fund the development of a new hospital in South West London.
Using my six tests, I was able to support the NHS to make improvements to the plans, particularly in the areas of health inequalities and hospital beds. For example, the plans include a renewed commitment to tackle health inequalities, including a further focused deprivation review; extending bus routes; and reviewing primary care services around the district hospital sites.
The plans also now include a commitment to provide extra capacity at the district hospital sites when it is needed, and a commitment to enhance out-of-hospital care.
I have also committed to continue to monitor the health inequalities aspect of the programme – including the impact that the proposals have on Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, and those living in more deprived areas.

MPS/MOPAC Commissioning (3)

Steve O'Connell: Can you provide a breakdown of all the VRU commissioning spending since its creation?

The Mayor: The VRU Strategy contains eight core objectives:
To deliver on these objectives, the VRU has commissioned 228 grants and contracts since being established, with greatest focus on the five key priority areas:
Details of the commissioned spending is contained within the attached spreadsheet.

Reporting on Sites Sold or Leased through LDP2

Caroline Pidgeon: Will you commit to reporting in detail on tenures, rent costs, and developers of all sites sold or leased, (or due to be), through London Development Panel 2 at the earliest opportunity?

The Mayor: Please find attached a list of sites which have been taken through the London Development Panel 2 to date and the preferred developer for each site where this has been announced.
The tenure mix for GLA’s St Ann’s site is 33% London affordable rent, 11% shared ownership, 11% London Living Rent, 5% community led and 40% private sale. The tenure mix for other landowners’ sites is not currently known and will be determined through the planning process. We will collect this information going forward.
We do not collect information on rents charged but where Affordable Homes Programme grant is applied (which I expect will be the case for most of the sites) the rents for the affordable homes must meet the requirements of the programme in order to be eligible for grant.

Domestic abuse response times

Unmesh Desai: Please advise what percentage of calls received in relation to domestic abuse incidents were responded to by officers within the timeframe the call was marked as i.e. an “I” call being responded to within 15 minutes? Please provide this data for each of the last 4 years if possible.

The Mayor: Please see attached the requested data - for both MQs 4424 and 4425 - for the period specified.

Precepts

Gareth Bacon: Please provide a full breakdown of mayoral precept increases for the financial years 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21, as well as proposed increases for 2021/22.

The Mayor: The Mayors council tax precept is outlined in detail within each annual budget published on the GLA website below.
https://www.london.gov.uk/about-us/governance-and-spending/spending-money-wisely/mayors-budget
The table below includes both the police and non-police precept.
Year
Band D Police precept
Band D Non police precept
Total Band D
Year on Year Increase
Mayoral Decision
2016/17
£202.11
£73.89
£276.00
MD1611
2017/18
£206.13
£73.89
£280.02
£4.02
MD2075
2018/19
£218.13
£76.10
£294.23
£14.21
MD2240
2019/20
£242.13
£78.38
£320.51
£26.28
MD2434
2020/21
£252.13
£79.94
£332.07
£11.56
MD2588
2021/22
£267.13
£96.53
£363.66
£31.59
Not yet Final

Update on name-anonymous recruitment in the GLA group (1)

Siân Berry: In your answer to my question 2019/14230 you told me that, to date, no recruitment for Transport for London (TfL) had been name-anonymous but you planned future changes to support this. Have these changes now happened and does TfL now use name-anonymous shortlisting in recruitment?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has introduced an anonymous recruitment process and approximately half of all its current recruitment campaigns redact any information in a CV or Cover Letter that pertains to an individuals protected characteristics, and some socio-economic factors such as address location and education level (unless required due to statutory obligation).
TfL is working toward extending the use of anonymous recruitment across TfL, wherever it is appropriate for a specific campaign to do so.

Domestic Abuse calls

Unmesh Desai: Please advise the volume and proportion of emergency calls relating to domestic abuse that were marked as “I”, “S” or other markers by Met contact centre staff in each of the last 4 years.

The Mayor: Please see attached the requested data - for both MQs 4424 and 4425 - for the period specified.

Body Worn Video research

Unmesh Desai: Do you know what the timescales are and remit of the academic work to be undertaken on a sample of body worn video footage to better understand the nature of stop and search interactions and the behaviour factors of officers or individuals that lead to escalation in the use of force?

The Mayor: The aims of the research are to identify good practice in relation to stop and search encounters, with a specific focus on identifying behaviours (by the officer(s) and by the citizen(s) related to escalation and de-escalation of use of force within these interactions. This will involve the systematic coding of Stop and Search encounters captured upon the Body Worn Video Technology. The work will generate unique opportunities to inform officer training, with the aim of improving stop encounters, as well as trust and confidence within policing. It is estimated that this research could take up to 12 months for completion.

Domestic Abuse perpetrator intervention funding

Unmesh Desai: On 15 November, the Home Office announced funding for interventions working with perpetrators of domestic abuse, including for some constituencies in London. What criteria was used to determine the ‘benefitted’ and ‘impacted’ constituencies and how will the money be spent?

The Mayor: The Home OfficePerpetratorFund was opened to Police and Crime Commissioners in Septemberand extended toLocalAuthorities. All bidders were required to provide match fundingtosupporta full year of deliveryand produce an evaluation of the effectiveness of the intervention. TheHome Office determinedthe assessment criteriaand were looking for bids that evidenced plansto addressvictimsafety through sustained risk and abuse reduction approaches.
Seven London bids were submitted,including four from Local Authorities.Four bidswere successfultotalling£843,781:Barking and Dagenham, Greenwich, Redbridgeand MOPAC (delivering in Sutton, Bromley and Croydon).Each project will use a range ofinterventionsworking to addressand disrupt perpetrator behaviouras well as ensuringvictimsandtheirchildren’s safety informs allactivitythrough multi-agencyworking.

Cashless Ticket Machines Consultation

Tony Devenish: Before seeking to implement your plan to stop taking cash at ticket machines, will you commit to a full public consultation?

The Mayor: As part of its response to the coronavirus pandemic, Transport for London (TfL) temporarily stopped accepting cash at around 200 London Underground stations and most DLR stations. Since then TfL has been engaging with a range of organisations to understand the wider impact of cashless operation on its customers as it considered whether to extend cashless operations further on the network,
In response to the feedback received to date, TfL has decided not to proceed with any further temporary changes at this present time but will continue to engage with key stakeholders. As part of this work, TfL is also investigating additional research that might help to understand more about current cash usage.

Wildlife Crimes in London

Murad Qureshi: How many wildlife crimes were committed in Greater London in 2020 and in each of the previous 5 years? How many of these involved foxes in each year since 2015?

The Mayor: Please see the attached information related to animal welfare and wildlife crimes. It is not possible to supply information on specific offences where a ‘fox’ has been recorded as this is not a compulsory field requirement for officers when recording crime.

Bus services to Whipps Cross Hospital

Caroline Pidgeon: What engagement has TfL had with Barts Health NHS Trust about future public transport provision to Whipps Cross Hospital ahead of planned major redevelopment to the hospital? Is any consideration specifically being given to reviewing the frequency and last time of all bus services that serve the hospital, especially the W12 bus service? Is consideration also being given to improving the siting of bus stops at the hospital?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has been engaging with the Trust through its Masterplanning Transport & Access Working Group. I am also anticipating that the Trust will take part in TfL’s formal pre-application planning process.
It is too early to comment on specific considerations, but TfL will be emphasising the importance of the redevelopment providing improved access to the site for buses and bus passengers, including the location of bus stops. TfL will also consider how the redevelopment can assist with better bus service provision on routes such as the W12.
In the meantime, TfL will continue to review local bus services to ensure reliable and affordable access to healthcare locations

Mayoral powers

Gareth Bacon: What direct powers do you have to remove statues, monuments and plaques on GLA land and elsewhere in London?

The Mayor: Our capital’s diversity is its greatest strength, yet our statues, road names and public spaces reflect a bygone era. We must celebrate the achievements and diversity of all in our city and commemorate those who have made London what it is – as well as discussing the complicated legacies of our public realm. This is what I set up the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm, which will work with boroughs, communities and institutions to address this.
As Mayor of London, it’s not for me to decide which statues should or should not be removed. Planning decisions relating to historic monuments sit with local authorities and they should always be based on wide consultation, be subject to local democratic accountability and respect the wishes of local communities. Under the current planning framework any proposed removal requires consent by the property owner which also applies to GLA land.
The Government announced new laws this week, which mean that in future any historic statue, listed or not will require planning permission to be removed. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-legal-protection-for-england-s-heritage

Temporary Hammersmith Bridge

Tony Devenish: There are three temporary bridge proposals between Hammersmith and Barnes: the Pell Frischmann pedestrian and cyclists bridge proposal, the Beckett Rankine temporary road bridge and the Ritblat/Foster/COWI Road Bridge. Showing detailed explanation, what evaluation has Transport for London done on the benefit to cost ratio of each proposal?

The Mayor: Before producing a benefit cost appraisal of any proposals, an assessment is completed to determine whether they are practical and deliverable.
The three temporary bridge proposals which you refer to are all at different stages of development:
The Pell Frischmann pedestrian and cycle bridge was commissioned by Transport for London (TfL) and has been subject to extensive engagement and development with stakeholders to ensure its viability. This has a benefit cost ratio of 1.24:1.
The Beckett Rankine proposal, as I have made clear in responses to previous Mayor’s Questions (2020/0894, 2020/0934, 2020/1195, 2020/3750), is not considered viable and a benefit cost ratio has not therefore been produced.
The Ritblat / Fosters / COWI proposal was only recently shared with TfL. Hammersmith and Fulham Council has commissioned Fosters/COWI to further develop the proposal in order to demonstrate its viability. TfL is engaging with Fosters/COWI to support this work.

Homes for Londoners Board

Murad Qureshi: What plans, if any, do you have to broadcast the board meetings live, in the same way TfL Board meetings are broadcast?

The Mayor: The Transport for London Board is directly responsible for major financial decisions. Its meetings fall under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972 and accordingly they are held in public. We broadcast the meetings to maximise public access.
The Homes for Londoners Board is a strategic and problem-solving forum convened to support me to maximise the building of new and especially of affordable homes. It provides important expert advice but is not a decision-making forum. All formal decisions are taken by me or by GLA officers, as appropriate, in accordance with the GLA’s mayoral decision-making framework. There are no plans to broadcast Homes for Londoners Board meetings, but in line with my commitment to be open and transparent in my administration their agenda, papers and minutes are published.

Brownhill Road/Torridon Road junction

Caroline Pidgeon: Further to your reply in March 2020 to Question 2020/0990 where you stated: “Design work on a new pedestrian crossing at this junction is almost complete and there will be engagement with local people in the coming months, ahead of construction starting later this year” and noting the lack of your reply to Question 2020/3806, please provide an update as to when vital pedestrian improvements at this junction will actually commence? Please also set out what other schemes under the Healthy Streets programme which have been paused in 2020 will now commence, providing dates as to when this will occur.

The Mayor: Design work on the pedestrian improvements at the Brownhill Road / Torridon Road junction was paused in April 2020, due to the impact of the pandemic on Transport for London’s (TfL’s) staff and finances. Funding has now been allocated to recommence design and public engagement is planned in early 2021 to capture views. Following this engagement, TfL intends to finalise the design and move to construction. This is subject to the outcome of its discussions with Government over the funding it requires to place its finances on a sustainable footing, after fare income was decimated by the pandemic.
A number of other Healthy Streets schemes were similarly paused in 2020, while TfL focused on the rapid delivery of my London Streetspace programme to provide safe alternatives to private car use during the pandemic. TfL is currently remobilising the majority of these Healthy Streets projects. However, completion dates cannot be confirmed until TfL has agreed with Government the investment and continued longer-term support it requires.

Rough Sleepers (1)

Murad Qureshi: In October, it was announced that new rules making rough sleeping a legal ground to cancel or refuse permission to stay in the UK would come into force on 1 December 2020. Although the Mayor has indicated that the GLA would not be co-operating with the Home Office to enforce these new rules, there may be homeless EU citizens who will either no longer have access to support or may not feel safe enough to access the support available. With the Brexit transition having come to an end on 31 December, what steps will the Mayor take to ensure that migrant rough sleepers get the support they need?

The Mayor: London’s COVID-19 rough sleeping response has highlighted the high numbers of homeless migrants with insecure immigration status in our city. I am continuing to provide safe accommodation to rough sleepers regardless of their immigration status, with support through our specialist support services to determine eligibility and apply to the EU Settlement Scheme or make other relevant applications. I also intend to launch a new fund to boost the immigration advice and specialist support available for migrant rough sleepers to prove or obtain secure immigration status and enable a positive move-on from the streets.
A recent Court of appeal decision[1] means that a significant number of destitute EU nationals with pre-settled status should soon be able to access the support they need and positively move from the streets or from emergency accommodation. I will continue to urge the Government to provide sufficient funding and to suspend all immigration-based exclusions from welfare and homelessness assistance to ensure that everyone has access to essential support. Working with the charity sector, I will also continue to press for the removal of the draconian rules referred to in the question.
[1]https://cpag.org.uk/sites/default/files/files/resource/Fratila%20v%20SSWP%20%28final%29%2018.12.2020.pdf

End of VAT relief on Facemasks

Leonie Cooper: Do you share my concern that ending the VAT relief on facemasks will make it harder for the poorest Londoners to afford facemasks?

The Mayor: I am also concerned that the Government decided to end this VAT relief scheme on the 31 October. I have long been an advocate of Londoners wearing face coverings and extensively lobbied the Government to increase mandatory use in public spaces. During a period of national lockdown and rising infection rates I am concerned that the Government have taken this decision now. With face coverings now mandatory in lots of settings, many businesses, large and small, buy PPE in bulk for their staff and clients. They will be adversely affected by the sizable increase in cost.
Face coverings help keep our communities safe and allow people to access shops and transport. In the summer I wrote to major supermarket retailers encouraging them to stock face coverings at accessible price points and I am pleased to see the wide range that is now available in many stores.

Record of Inquest of Ella Kissi-Debrah (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: Are you satisfied that every (a) Lewisham child and adult, and (b) London child and adult is not being exposed to levels of Nitrogen Dioxide and Particulate Matter in excess of World Health Organization Guidelines that the Coroner recorded “possibly contributed” to Ella Kissi-Debrah’s death?

The Mayor: No. I have taken bold action to tackle London’s toxic air, leading to a 94 per cent reduction in the number of Londoners living in areas exceeding legal limits for nitrogen dioxide and a 96 per cent reduction in state schools in areas exceeding legal limits between 2016 and 2019. But we must do more.
24 per cent of roads in inner London still exceed legal limits for NO2 and 99 per cent of London still exceeds the WHO recommended limits for PM2.5. Expanding the Ultra Low Emission Zone, in conjunction with my other air quality policies, is vital to achieving the minimum standard of legal compliance and will set us on track for meeting the more stringent health-driven WHO guidelines.
But I cannot do this alone. There are a number of sources of both nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter and I have limited powers to tackle many of these, including non-transport sources such as wood burning and construction machinery. Government must do more and match my ambitions, including adopting legally binding WHO targets in the new Environment Bill and giving cities the powers and funding we need to eradicate air pollution once and for all.

NHS staff retention

Onkar Sahota: Retention of nurses in London has never been more important. The Royal College of Nursing recent survey showed 91% were concerned about the well-being of their colleagues and 58% worried about their own mental health. What are you doing to support nurses across London?

The Mayor: The pandemic has highlighted how much we need and value our city’s nurses and these recent survey results from the Royal College of Nursing are very concerning.
City Hall has no powers over nursing. Sir David Sloman has assured me that workforce is a top priority and that staff wellbeing, including mental health is being taken seriously. During the pandemic the NHS has produced a suite of tools and resources called Our NHS People. For example in London, a wellbeing webinar series for health and social care workers was delivered during the summer by Healthy London Partnership. The sessions were designed to support those faced with the challenges of delivering essential health and care services during COVID-19, including nurses, whether at the front line or in supporting services.
It is more vital than ever that we recognise the emotional challenges of their work and that health and care staff are supported to access support when they need it.

Vaccine confidence

Onkar Sahota: What work are you doing as Mayor with local authorities, NHS London Region and as Chair of the London Health Board to help improve vaccine confidence in London?

The Mayor: There is a lot of misinformation about vaccines, but the truth is that they have saved millions of lives around the world. Building confidence in vaccines is vital in protecting all our communities in London, and of particular urgency as we look to the early positive news about a new Covid vaccine.
Partners across London, including the GLA, NHS London and local authorities, are all committed to working together to build confidence in with London’s diverse communities. I will do all I can as Mayor to use my platform and communications channels to speak to Londoners about vaccines and to tackle disinformation. We will also use our networks to work directly with communities, to understand the barriers they may face and how we can support them to have these important conversations.

London becoming a dementia-friendly city by 2022 (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: Please set out what you consider are the main policy changes that still need to be implemented before London truly becomes a dementia-friendly city by 2022?

The Mayor: I continue to support Alzheimer’s Society and the Dementia Friendly London partnership. Together we are raising awareness, changing attitudes, taking action and encouraging and supporting others to act. We now have over 350,000 Dementia Friends in London including over 500 in the GLA, led by Mary Harpley, my Dementia Champion for the GLA family. We are approaching 1,000 dementia-friendly organisations. 25 boroughs are accredited or working towards Dementia-Friendly Community status.
COVID-19 has hit people with dementia and Alzheimer’s Society hard. Work is underway to understand those impacts and where action is needed. Health and social care colleagues have worked tirelessly to provide care and wider support and to meet the challenges associated with social distancing and lockdown. Work is also underway looking at how we build dementia into recovery. Action is underway in the following policy areas: transport, policing and emergency services, high streets and retail, housing, culture and leisure.

Record of Inquest of Ella Kissi-Debrah (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: The Coroner’s record stated that Ella’s mother was not given information about the health risks of air pollution to exacerbate asthma, highlighting that if such information had been given “she would have taken steps which might have prevented Ella’s death.” Are you convinced that sufficient measures are now in place to provide relevant information to the public and especially parents about the health risks of air pollution, or do you believe further measures are now needed following the Coroner’s record of the inquest into the death of Ella Kissi-Debrah?

The Mayor: Raising awareness about air pollution has been a major priority for me. In 2016 I instituted an alerts system to warn Londoners about pollution episodes. The alerts are displayed at 2,500 bus countdown signs and river pier signs, at the entrances of all 270 London Underground stations and at 140 road-side signs on the busiest main roads. Additionally, London boroughs, the NHS and PHE are contacted via the resilience forum to cascade to their networks, and information is provided directly to schools across London. Borough support sharing the GLA’s pollution alerts is expected as part of their obligations to address air pollution.
To provide more targeted information, Londoners can sign up to the airTEXT service to receive alerts specific to their borough I have also written to the major news broadcasters asking them to include more air quality information in their bulletins.
More generally I have funded a number of awareness raising marketing campaigns. Environmental and health NGOs and campaigners have also been instrumental in helping to raise awareness of the health effects of air pollution and the importance of cleaning up London’s air.
Finally, I piloted the Breathe London network which provides user-friendly information to Londoners to reduce their exposure to air pollution. The next phase will have a community focus, including funding for around 130 air quality sensors, with deployment prioritised at hospitals and schools.
However, I agree with the Coroner that much more must be done to provide information to the public and health professionals on the health effects of air pollution. Given their critical national role, it is clear Government needs to do more and we hope they will learn the lessons of the inquest.
The important issues raised at the inquest will be reflected as part of our continual efforts to ensure we provide relevant information as effectively as possible to Londoners.

Community Engagement Review

Unmesh Desai: It has been said that MOPAC and the Met’s review of existing community engagement mechanisms will be completed by February 2021. Will this mark the start of a consultation on proposed changes, or will changes begin to be implemented at this point without consultation? What are the timescales for the work MOPAC and the Met will be undertaking with communities to review existing community engagement mechanisms?

The Mayor: We must maintain the momentum in this work, but that needs to include our communities. By February 2021, MOPAC will have commissioned an external partner to deliver an engagement programme with communities to co-design and co-produce how the engagement structures should be formed, managed and supported. Final recommendations on the overhaul of community engagement will be brought forward in early autumn

London Election Counting Machines

David Kurten: Given the widespread reports and allegations of election fraud using Dominion/Smartmatic machines and systems in the US Presidential elections, what is the GLA doing to remove Smartmatic from involvement in the counting of votes in the London elections on 6th May 2021?

The Mayor: This is a matter for the GLA’s Chief Officer, Mary Harpley, in her capacity as the Greater London Returning Officer. She advises that there are no plans to ‘remove’ any organisation involved in development of the electronic vote-counting system that will be used for the London elections next year, in light of the recent United States of America elections. A statement from Smartmatic on their role in the USA elections can be found here: https://www.smartmatic.com/media/article/smartmatic-demands-justice-for-defamation/

Brexit and Policing – Information sharing

Unmesh Desai: How many Interpol notices have Met officers received from EU members states since the 1st January? How many notices did it receive through the Schengen Information System II in the same period last year?

The Mayor: The MPS are not the receiving agency for any Interpol Notices or SIS alerts. This information is held by the NCA.

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: Are all blue light services in London using up to date mapping data relating to all Streetspace changes?

The Mayor: TfL, the emergency services and borough representatives have established a regular working group to share updates on London Streetspace Programme (LSP) schemes and establish the best possible working practice between all parties, with the clear goal of ensuring the Police, Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade are able to continue to respond effectively to emergencies as the programme evolves. Ensuring that all blue light services are using up to date mapping is a key item on the agenda for this group.
Transport for London (TfL) is working with all boroughs to upload coordinates of interventions delivered through my LSP to the One. Network mapping system so that blue light services have access to the most up to date changes on the ground. So far, 23 boroughs are actively using the system, and a further seven are currently undergoing training to add data. One additional borough is in the process of arranging training, which will bring the total to 31, covering all boroughs with live LTNs.

Young People’s Mental Health

Onkar Sahota: Figures show that cases of sleep problems, eating disorders and self-harm in young people have risen sharply during the pandemic. What work are ThriveLDN doing in response to this increase in mental health issues?

The Mayor: We know that young people were more likely to report stress arising from the pandemic than the population as a whole. Thrive LDN has been actively working in partnership with London’s Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) instructors, in collaboration with MIND TV, to coordinate and produce a series of videos to support the mental health and wellbeing of young people, staff, and parents at this time.
My Young Londoners Fund Youth MHFA programme, delivered by Thrive LDN, continues to be rolled out digitally across London schools and youth settings enabling those who work with children and young people to develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to have conversations about mental health and to spot the signs of poor mental health.
I have also provided funding to Good Thinking, London’s digital mental health and wellbeing service, to support its expansion for children and young people.

Impact of fireworks on air pollution

Caroline Russell: A constituent has raised the issue of the impact of fireworks on air pollution. What data have you collected on the impact of fireworks on air pollution across the year as well as the impact of the GLA fireworks each New Year’s Eve?

The Mayor: As fireworks events are a rare occurrence, their impact is extremely short lived, localised and minimal. We do not hold specific air quality data on the impact of firework events.
The GLA’s events are managed and delivered in accordance with our GLA Event Sustainability Policy [link] which includes air quality, carbon, energy efficiency, waste reduction, and considers theenvironmental impacts from transport.
The New Year Eve celebrations this year were quite different to past New Year Eve events. Data provided by the event organiser showed that this resulted in a reduction of combustion by-products (including NOx, CO2, SO2 and other solids such as aluminium oxide) of 69% when compared to the 2019 New Year Eve celebrations. We are committed to continuing to improve our New Year Eve events and reducing our environmental impact.

Environment representation on the London Recovery Board

Caroline Russell: The London Recovery Board has a single representative from the environmental sector, and they are from a national charity. Why is there no representation for environmental sector organisations with a remit for London, such as the Environment Agency?

The Mayor: London Recovery Board members are appointed largely by virtue of their expertise and their position. The environment representative has been appointed to speak on behalf of the sector as a whole, and not just their organisation. Nonetheless, the RSPB has a team dedicated to city regions, including London, and a network of local groups, project work and a nature reserve within London.
As part of the Recovery programme and the Green New Deal Mission engagement activities, we are directly engaged with a range of organisations from the public, private, academia and non-governmental sectors including the Environment Agency. This is in addition to GLA and London Councils existing engagement channels with the Environment Agency through the London Sustainable Development Commission, London Climate Chance Partnership, Water Advisory Group, London Infrastructure Group and others. We have also convened a Green New Deal expert advisory panel to consider and provide challenge to the work of the recovery programme and ensure buy-in to the mission.

Pay it Forward Scheme in Croydon and Sutton

Steve O'Connell: How many businesses in Croydon and Sutton have benefited from your Pay it Forward Scheme to date?

The Mayor: So far, 15 businesses in Croydon and 2 businesses in Sutton have benefitted from Pay It Forward London.

The Future of Suburban Black Cab Service

Len Duvall: Do you and TfL understand the frustration of the suburban black cab drivers with regards to the following:
a) the lack of meaningful dialogue around the future of the service;
b) allowing other black cab organisations to veto their service development proposals, even when in the interest of service users;
c) lack of transparency and non-responses to issues raised by them?

The Mayor: I am very conscious of the difficulties being experienced by all taxi drivers, including those working in suburban areas, as a result of the pandemic that has significantly impacted the industry. I recently wrote to Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to draw his attention to the plight of taxi (and private hire) drivers in London and ask for assurances that at the very least they can source effective levels of support from the Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS).
I appreciate your continued support of taxi drivers. Transport for London (TfL) engages with a variety of trade groups and drivers and throughout the pandemic has met at least fortnightly with the industry to understand the concerns being raised and to help support drivers through this difficult period. TfL engages with the London Suburban Taxi Coalition (LSTC) specifically in correspondence and by phone and has met with LSTC on a number of occasions when the need has arisen. I know TfL would be happy to provide any information or answer any specific queries the LSTC may have and recommend they contact TfL in the normal manner.

Court backlog

Steve O'Connell: For each month of 2019 and 2020, how many MPS cases were awaiting to go to court? What is the current figure?

The Mayor: The post-charge management of cases takes place on Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) systems. Whilst the MPS are involved in the monitoring of backlogs throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, they do not own data on the number of cases waiting to attend court. National HMCTS data is available publicly via the HMCTS website, including weekly performance data published since the start of the pandemic - https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/hmcts-weekly-management-information-during-coronavirus-march-to-december-2020.

Suicides in 2020

Murad Qureshi: How many suicides have occurred in Greater London on a monthly basis in 2020? Can we also have similar figures for 2019, for every month, to compare the two years.

The Mayor: It is not possible to provide accurate data for this as the 2020 figures, produced by the Office for National Statistics, will not be available until September 2021. There are however various other means to track suicide figures through NHS data, Met Police systems and TFL figures as well as Thrive LDN's Real Time Suicide Surveillance. Whilst this does not give a definitive answer it gives a good indication. These sources, some of which are standardised and some non-standardised, suggest that at present there has been no increase in the suicide rate in London since lockdown commenced and this fits in with the national picture.

Reducing nappy waste

Caroline Russell: Real Nappies for London has calculated that, between 2016 and 2019, single-use disposable nappies created 46,843 tonnes of carbon emissions per year across London boroughs. What steps are you taking to reduce carbon emissions resulting from the use and disposal of single-use disposable nappies in London?

The Mayor: Please refer to my answer to Mayor’s Questions 2020/3832.

Money Laundering Suspicious Activity Reports

Steve O'Connell: For each of the years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, how many Money Laundering Suspicious Activity Reports have been made in London?

The Mayor: This information is held by the NCA. The United Kingdom Financial Intelligence Unit (UKFIU) within the National Crime Agency has the national remit for the receipt, analysis and dissemination of intelligence gathered from Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs).

Safer Neighbourhood Board communications

Unmesh Desai: How much money has MOPAC put towards raising awareness of the Safer Neighbourhood Boards amongst Londoners, through communications, engagement and advertising, since 2016?

The Mayor: The £1m Public Engagement Fund is allocated to the Safer Neighbourhood Boards (SNB). SNBs can chose to use this funding to directly promote their engagement role. MOPAC does not maintain a separate marketing or publicity budget for SNBs.
SNBs conduct a range of activities that are intended to promote and raise awareness of their work and opportunities for involvement, including through their public meetings, newsletters and the sharing of crime and safety information, such as messages about staying safe during the pandemic, circulated to communities on behalf of the police and other agencies. The role undertaken by SNBs is publicised on MOPAC’s website and of course, through the work of local authorities and Assembly Members.

Adult Education

Jennette Arnold: Are there any courses funded by the Adult Education Budget in London that have not been made available online through the course of the pandemic?

The Mayor: As part of my skills response to the pandemic I launched my £11m Skills for Londoners COVID-19 Response Fund to support adult education providers develop their digital infrastructure so they had increased capacity to deliver provision online while Londoners were unable to attend their courses in person.
Almost one third of learning aims in recent AEB programme data were reported as being delivered wholly online. However, due to data reconciliation processes we will not be able to see the full picture of delivery for the current academic year until December 2021.
Not all courses can be delivered wholly online, for example where specialist equipment or facilities are required, or where higher levels of support are required by learners, including delivery which usually takes place in community learning settings. Onsite learning also continues for vulnerable learners, or those who may have difficulty engaging with remote education at home.

Home visits for vulnerable children

Jennette Arnold: The majority of social workers are still working from home; replacing home visits and meetings with virtual ones. Are you concerned about some vulnerable children in London “slipping through the net” as the pandemic continues and what are you doing to ensure they don’t?

The Mayor: Local authorities are working hard to ensure that no vulnerable child falls through the net during the pandemic. Many face-to-face visits are still taking place after full risk assessments have been carried out. Where visits are not possible social workers are engaging with families virtually, providing regular contact and support. In addition, social workers have been working closely with schools to ensure as many vulnerable children with social workers can continue to access schools as possible.
MOPAC is a key partner in the London Safeguarding Children’s Partnership. It supports organisations to meet their statutory responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The group has continued to meet during the pandemic to coordinate resilience and multi-agency work and brings together representatives from the Association of London Directors of Children’s Services, London Councils, the MPS, MOPAC and NHS England.

Tower blocks (1)

Andrew Boff: Is it OK for families to be forced to live high up in Tower Blocks?

The Mayor: I want every Londoner to live in a home that meets their needs, but to achieve that goal we need to build enough homes of the right types to both accommodate a growing population and clear a backlog of need that has accumulated over decades. London has a particularly urgent need for a far greater supply of homes for social rent, including family-sized homes for overcrowded families. I am pleased that according to the latest London Plan Annual Monitoring Report, the proportion of family-sized homes being built for social rent has increased from 34% in 2015/16 to 41% in 2018/19. However, as GLA analysis has demonstrated, we cannot build the number of social rented homes needed without a much larger injection of funding from central Government.
Through my draft London Plan, any proposal for tall buildings will be subject to the highest scrutiny and judged on its merits – including its impact on its neighbourhood, its impact on the skyline and, particularly, its safety features – to ensure it can provide high-quality homes that support Good Growth. My draft London Plan also includes strong provisions for private outdoor space in new developments.

Black curriculum

Jennette Arnold: The Edexcel exam board has dropped the only black composer from its music A-level syllabus. Given your calls for a more diverse national curriculum, have you written to Edexcel and other exam boards about the importance of diversity within their syllabus? If so, can you share your communication?

The Mayor: I made it clear in my letter to the Secretary of State for Education that the government must work with exam boards to ensure the literature, art and music they set better reflects the rich ethnic diversity of British writers, artists and lived experience.
It is therefore a great shame that this short-sighted decision has been made against the backdrop of important discussions and campaigns around diversity in the national curriculum.
I understand that this is a temporary measure to alleviate the workload of teachers and students during the pandemic, and that the change has already been communicated to schools. Therefore, I look forward to Pearson Edexcel re-instating Courtney Pine on their A-level music exam as soon as is reasonably possible. The exam board has also committed to reviewing their specification ahead of 2022 exams. They must take this opportunity to ensure their syllabus is more diverse, inclusive and representative of all students.

Devolution of Funding for Tackling Extremism in the Capital

Caroline Pidgeon: Do you agree with me that Prevent funding and other funding for tackling extremism in the capital should be devolved and aim to be as transparent as possible?

The Mayor: After delivering the most comprehensive city-wide engagement and review exercise in this policy area ever, my CVE Programme’s final report was published in June 2019. It recommended that the Government increase resources for countering extremism and radicalisation work, that they ensure that every borough in London receives funding to deliver countering violent extremism activity, that they provide additional funding for the commissioning of countering violent extremism work through City Hall and that they should improve transparency by including evaluations of Prevent projects.
In light of this report and in the absence of funding from Government, I have invested more than any other Mayor before me in work which stands up to hate, intolerance, extremism and radicalisation through a new London CVE Programme. This has included joining forces with Google.org to fund over 30 civil society led projects across London through the £800k Shared Endeavour Fund.

Handling of Calls to the Met’s Crime Management Service

Caroline Pidgeon: According to a recent report by the BBC, in January 2019 80% of calls to the Met’s Crime Management Service (CMS) were answered, but by September 2020 this figure had dropped to 49%. Please outline steps the Met is taking to urgently improve this worrying rate of answered calls and what is the cause of this?

The Mayor: The Victim Focus Desk (VFD), which is part of Crime Management Services, and where updates to reports can be given by victims of crime, saw a decline in calls answered. This was due to a focus on providing a better service, with staff having access to more databases, and a direction to assist all callers, despite the fact that many were calling for non-crime matters. This translated to more time spent per call.
To improve percentage of calls answered, the hours of the unit are being adjusted to ensure effective peak time coverage. This will be in place by Spring 2021. The wording of 101 message options is also being adjusted to improve signposting to the VFD for victims of crime (and elsewhere when VFD is not appropriate). The introduction of the Victim Information Leaflet in the Autumn should also help reduce demand, with officers investigating crimes providing their details as points of contact. Data are being collected to assess the impact of this on VFD demand.

Mayor’s Transport Strategy commitment improve the overall accessibility of the transport system

Caroline Pidgeon: Your Transport Strategy has the commitment to halve the average additional time taken to make a public transport journey on the step-free network compared to the full network. Please state what actual reduction in additional time has currently been achieved since the publication of your Transport Strategy?

The Mayor: The latest position on differential journey times with regards to step free access are published in Travel in London report 13, page 118. As shown in the table below, the differential journey time, comparing trips made using the whole network against those using the step free network only, has reduced from 11 minutes in the 2015 baseline to 8 minutes in 2019 - a reduction of 3 minutes. Travel in London 13 also contains a projection of expected future improvements in this measure to 2041.
Table 4.9 Average journey time by fastest available route and step-free network only, 2015 and 2019/20.
2015 (baseline)
2019/20
Average journey time by quickest route (minutes)
77
77
Average journey time using bus and step-free stations only
86
85
Relative additional journey time (minutes)
11
8
Source: TfL City Planning.
Note: Journey times are modelled averages and do not reflect observed or frequently made journeys.

High Streets for All recovery mission

Leonie Cooper: When will the consultation and development phase of the High Streets for All mission end, so that actions and recommendations can be published to give high street business owners clarity over how they will be considered in Mayoral recovery plans?

The Mayor: Following initial stakeholder engagement and mission scoping the GLA, jointly with the London Boroughs and London Councils is working to support the delivery of enhanced public spaces and exciting new uses for underused high street buildings in every London Borough.
As part of this, local partnerships involving property interests, businesses, representatives of London’s diverse communities and local anchor institutions, will be supported to develop local strategies for renewal and develop exemplar projects tailored to meet local challenges. Exemplar partnerships will be supported with enabling funds, expert advice and best practice sharing. Details on this support offer will be made available in March – with the launch of the High Streets for All Challenge fund.

Modifying IA 17780 to ‘placate’ First Group

Caroline Pidgeon: How can you reconcile your response to Question 2020/3809 that IA 17780 was not “watered down” when the evidence you provided in (a) Question 2020|0023 clearly shows the safety audit was modified, and (b)Question 2020/3276 shows First Group’s Safety Management System performance rating for IA 17780 is formally recorded by TfL’s Audit & Assurance as “Not Rated” and not “Requires Improvement”, as shown in the report’s first draft you provided in Question2019/12001?

The Mayor: There is no inconsistency in these responses. IA 17 780 was modified in that the audit conclusion of ‘Requires Improvement’ was removed. However, there was no change to the findings or the suggested actions

Suspects extradited through European Arrest Warrant

Unmesh Desai: How many suspects of the following types of crime have been extradited from EU countries to the UK following a request from the Met Police using the European Arrest Warrant in each year since 2010: Homicide, Rape, Burglary, Assault?

The Mayor: This information is held by the NCA.

London Overground

Keith Prince: During your Mayoralty, what extensions have you secured to the London Overground?

The Mayor: Work on the Barking Riverside extension began in 2019. The extension will add 4.5km to the Gospel Oak to Barking line and serve a new station at Barking Riverside.
Significant capacity increases have also been introduced on the London Overground during my Mayoralty, including:

Discretionary Mayoral Income Spent on London Fire Brigade

Len Duvall: How much funding over which the Mayoralty has direct control (i.e. council tax, business rates, GLA reserves and other GLA income excluding central government grants) was spent on the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority in 2015/16 and how much was spent on the London Fire Commissioner 2019/20?

The Mayor: In 2015-16, council tax income allocated to the then LFEPA was £138.2 million. LFEPA also received £114.7 million in retained business rates. The remainder of the core funding (£129.4 million) was allocated through Revenue Support Grant (RSG) from central government.
In 2019-20, council tax income allocated to LFC was £159.2 million. Changes to the business rates retention arrangements for the GLA have meant that from 2017-18 RSG is no longer paid to the GLA Group. Instead all funding is allocated through retained business rates, enabling the Mayor to have greater discretion in allocating funding between component bodies of the Group. In 2019-20 LFC was allocated £233.2 million in retained business rates.

Spending Review (4)

Len Duvall: Why were combined authorities and the GLA excluded from the third and fourth tranches of the Government’s emergency Covid-19 support and do you support the Government’s decision to do so?

The Mayor: The Government set out its methodology for allocating funding through a Covid-19 Relative Needs Formula for both the third and fourth tranches of 2020-21 funding, for which only councils were eligible. These tranches were allocated according to a formula analogous to the proposed methodology for the foundation formulas in the Government’s review of relative needs and resources. Combined authorities and the GLA were excluded from this formula, as they do not deliver so-called upper and lower tier services provided by councils.
I have made it clear that the Government has not fully reimbursed the GLA Group, leaving these unmet costs as added financial pressures that weigh on the Group’s existing budget and the forthcoming 2021-22 budget. Additional support from the Government is necessary, although this should be in addition to and not at the expense of the funding provided to other local authorities.

Discretionary Mayoral Income Spent on Metropolitan Police Service

Len Duvall: How much funding over which the Mayoralty has direct control (i.e. council tax, business rates, GLA reserves and other GLA income excluding central government grants) was spent on MOPAC in 2015/16 and how much was spent in 2019/20?

The Mayor: In 2015-16, council tax income allocated to MOPAC was £566.5 million. No other funding over which the Mayoralty has direct control was allocated.
In 2019-20, MOPAC was allocated £725.2 million in council tax income and £18.5 million in council tax surplus income. Additional discretionary retained business rates allocated to MOPAC by the Mayor amounted to £192.9 million, including £118.6 million allocated to fund 1,000 additional officers, which was placed into MOPAC’s reserves for future financial years.

Early vaccination for bus, taxi and private hire drivers

Caroline Russell: Front line transport workers, particularly bus, taxi and private hire drivers, have been at greater risk of infection from coronavirus during the pandemic. Will you support early vaccination for these front line workers as part of the national prioritisation process?

The Mayor: Last month I wrote to Matt Hancock welcoming the JCVI’s initial prioritisation of people living in care homes and care workers and that alongside care home staff, frontline NHS staff will also receive the vaccine as early as possible.
The JCVI recommends that phase two includes the roll out of the vaccine to others delivering key public services, which I welcome, and which should include prioritisation of key workers, who might be more vulnerable to infection due to the public-facing nature of their work and because they cannot work from home.
Some BAME communities are over-represented in these frontline occupations and have been disproportionally impacted by COVID-19.
I recently asked the Government’s Vaccines Minster to work with London leaders in preparation for a second phase of the rollout that may be more focused on occupation and roles that put people at greater risk.

Mapping data used in Travel in London 13

Caroline Russell: The annual Transport for London (TfL) report Travel in London 13 includes a number of maps which give a useful visualisation of changes in travel. You already publish many files for use in Geographic Information Software (GIS), such as the shapefiles providing data from the London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (LAEI). Will you provide me with similar shapefile data behind the mapping within Travel in London 13?

The Mayor: I am happy to hear you making use of Transport for London’s (TfL) Travel in London 13 report, which provides an invaluable snapshot of Londoners’ travel patterns, including during the first six months of the coronavirus pandemic. As you can appreciate, the datasets underpinning Travel in London come from a wide range of sources. Some, like the London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (LAEI), are from wholly TfL-sourced datasets, which is what allows us to make them freely available online.
Most of the datasets, however, are partly derived from non-TfL data and therefore come with restrictions as to their licensing and usage. This means that it is not always straightforward to provide the various data underpinning the maps in the report. I have asked TfL to contact you to precisely understand your requirements and how best to secure the data you require.

Engagement to develop the green new deal

Caroline Russell: What engagement has taken place to date with environmental groups, Londoners and other stakeholders to develop the London Recovery Board’s green new deal?

The Mayor: I have been clear that London’s route out of the Covid-19 pandemic must be a green and just recovery. The Green New Deal (GND) Mission aims to achieve large scale transformation by 2030. This will require an unprecedented level of collaboration, partnership and trust whilst ensuring that Londoners, communities and civil society are able to influence, shape and participate fully in London’s recovery.
A wide range of stakeholders and Londoners were engaged as part of the initial phase of recovery engagement. During the month of August, our Talk London platform received almost 1,100 comments and 68,000 site visits, and over 60 organisations attended “community conversations” sessions. My officers also coordinated a workshop engaging over 70 stakeholders on the development of the GND mission. Further engagement will continue throughout the recovery programme, starting with a series of thematic workshops, commencing in January 2021, to further refine and develop the mission and action plan.

Adult Education Recovery Fund (2)

Leonie Cooper: What are the criteria for applying for funding to the Adult Education Recovery Fund?

The Mayor: The AEB Good Work for All Fund will be launched in February. All eligibility requirements will be made clear in the Prospectus document which will be published on the GLA website.

Breathe London sensors in the community

Caroline Russell: A constituent has written to me asking why Londoners affected by air pollution should have to pay to ‘buy in’ to the Breathe London network, rather than the businesses responsible for generating the toxic air that’s causing so much harm to people's lives. In the wake of the Coroner’s finding in December 2020 that air pollution played a role in the tragic death of nine-year-old Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah in 2013, shouldn’t you be asking delivery and construction companies, for example, to pay for air pollution sensors?

The Mayor: Last month I announced the next phase of Breathe London will be delivered by Imperial College London, and will include funding for around 130 air quality sensors. Deployment will be prioritised at hospitals and schools, as well as one in each London borough. Data will be available via a new Breathe London website, making it easier for all Londoners to access reliable, localised, real time air quality data.
In response to demand from stakeholders, there will also be the option for businesses and other groups to buy-in to the service, at a reduced rate. Organisations can register on the website: https://www.breathelondon.org/.
I already incentivise businesses, delivery and construction companies to reduce their emissions, including schemes such as the Ultra-Low Emission Zone, Londonwide Low Emission Zone and Non-Road Mobile Machinery Low Emission Zone and I will be encouraging them to buy into the network.
The requirement for air quality monitoring at construction sites is formally addressed through the planning process. More information is available here: https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/planning/implementing-london-plan/london-plan-guidance-and-spgs/control-dust-and.

MPS - Sepura

Shaun Bailey: Has Sepura had any contracts with the Met Police since May 2016. If so, how much was it worth and please provide details of what they provided?

The Mayor: Since May 2016, the MPS have agreed 3 Contracts with Sepura Ltd, with a combined value of £29.1m. The Contracts support operational policing activities including: supply of Tetra radio terminals, (handsets, fleet and base stations), replacing all the end-of-life Tetra radios, associated accessories, maintenance, support and repair. All contracts were awarded via Public Sector Frameworks, (Crown Commercial and Police ICT Company).

TfL - Hikvision/Dahua

Shaun Bailey: Do Hikvision or Dahua have any contracts with Transport for London or have they had any since May 2016? If so, please provide details of what was provided and the cost breakdown.

The Mayor: No, Hikvision or Dahua have not had any contracts with Transport for London since May 2016.

GLA Precept

Shaun Bailey: How much has the total GLA Family precept risen each year since the creation of the Mayoralty? Please provide a table.

The Mayor: The table below includes both the police and non-police precept.
Year
Band D
Year on Year Increase/ Decrease
2000-01
£122.98
2001-02
£150.88
£27.90
2002-03
£173.88
£23.00
2003-04
£224.40
£50.52
2004-05
£241.33
£16.93
2005-06
£254.62
£13.29
2006-07
£288.61
£33.99
2007-08
£303.88
£15.27
2008-09
£309.82
£5.94
2009-10
£309.82
£0.00
2010-11
£309.82
£0.00
2011-12
£309.82
£0.00
2012-13
£306.72
-£3.10
2013-14
£303.00
-£3.72
2014-15
£299.00
-£4.00
2015-16
£295.00
-£4.00
2016-17
£276.00
-£19.00
2017-18
£280.02
£4.02
2018-19
£294.23
£14.21
2019-20
£320.51
£26.28
2020-21
£332.07
£11.56
2021-22
£363.66
£31.59

Thames Freeport

Shaun Bailey: What assessment have you made of the Thames freeport bid and its potential impact on London?

The Mayor: The Thames Estuary corridor in east London presents some of London’s greatest potential for growth. It also home to some of London’s (and the UKs) most disadvantaged communities, with relatively poor access to good quality housing and employment.
The proposal for a freeport in Dagenham as an integral element of the broader Thames freeport bid needs to be examined in more detail. Whilst we should look to secure opportunities for investment and growth in London, they must align with my wider ambitions for Good Growth. London needs assurances that Freeports won’t simply displace jobs and economic activity from elsewhere in the region.
Whilst the Government’s ‘Levelling Up’ agenda is a disservice to the contribution that London’s economy makes to the rest of the United Kingdom and ignores London’s own well evidenced deprivation, I am committed to ensuring that London’s economic successes serve London and the wider UK and if freeports can support this then they should be explored further.

Toilet facilities for the recovery

Caroline Russell: Thank you for your answer to my question 2019/17405, in which you said you would be informing customers of your plans for toilet facilities at Transport for London (TfL) stations. I now understand that it is no longer TfL policy to charge for toilet use at stations, which is welcome, but work to achieve this is still to be completed. Will you: a) confirm that TfL has now changed policy to stop charging at stations and b) support public health with more public toilets, including at TfL stations, as part of your recovery plans for London?

The Mayor: The removal of charges for using London Underground (LU) toilets is a policy change and work is currently underway to remove the charging mechanisms and identify where new locks are required at the small number of stations which were charging for access. Transport for London is committed to providing toilet facilities for LU customers and will continue to review opportunities to do this when undertaking station upgrades.